Nigeria Police Force Retires Seven DIGs Amid Age Falsification Scandal

At least seven Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) of the Nigeria Police Force have been retired following an unsuccessful attempt by Dasuki Galandachi of the Force Investigation Department to secure a service extension. His request was reportedly based on the exemption granted last year to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.

Among the retired senior officers are DIGs Galandachi, Ali Ari Muhammed, Rhoda Adetutu Olofu, Jonathan Towuru (representing the South-South geopolitical zone), Suleiman Yusuf, Banji Lawal Badru, and Bala Ciroma. Sources disclosed on Monday that their exit follows strict directives from the IGP and the Police Service Commission (PSC).

Senior Police Officers Defy Retirement Order Amid Age Falsification Scandal

IGP Orders Retirement of Senior Officers Defying Regulations

Speaking to SaharaReporters, a top police source revealed that some senior officers were directly asked to step down. “DIG Ali Ari Muhammed, Jonathan Towuru, Rhoda Adetutu Olofu, and Dasuki Galandachi were told by the IGP to leave a meeting on Monday,” the source disclosed.

Following this, DIG Towuru, who was in charge of the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), honorably stepped down and did not return after attending a senior officers’ retreat in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Other officers, including DIG Banji Lawal Badru and Bala Ciroma, also complied with the directive. Their replacements are expected to be announced soon by the Police Service Commission.

Earlier, IGP Egbetokun had mandated that senior police officers refusing to retire appear before a disciplinary committee. Reports indicate that tensions within the police force escalated as some officers resisted the retirement order, despite evidence of falsified birth records to extend their years in service.

Age Falsification Scandal Sparks Major Reshuffling

Investigations revealed that some senior officers had served for as long as 44 years, well beyond the legal service limit of 35 years or the mandatory retirement age of 60. This sparked conflicts between IGP Egbetokun and certain DIGs, including Galandachi, who sought an additional two-year extension.

However, police authorities confirmed that retirement approvals had been finalized, and replacements had already been ordered for affected officers. In February, two police signals obtained by SaharaReporters confirmed IGP Egbetokun’s directive to replace officers found guilty of forgery, age falsification, and violations of service regulations.

A previously published list included around 467 officers involved in the age falsification scandal. Among them were Simon Lough, SAN, Benneth Igweh, and several others. While some officers have complied with retirement directives, others continue to resist, raising concerns about discipline and accountability within the force.

The Police Service Commission has maintained that all officers who have either completed 35 years of service or reached the age of 60 must retire, in accordance with Nigeria’s Public Service Rules. As enforcement of these rules continues, more senior officers may be forced out of service in the coming weeks.