A group of disengaged police officers, who were allegedly forced into retirement without consideration for their years of service, have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to consider their reinstatement as ordered by the National Industrial Court.
The affected police officers from Courses 33, 34, and 35 of the Police Academy, said they were unfairly retired, saying despite securing judgment from the National Industrial Court.
They maintained that they were forcefully retired from the police service when they had not spent 35 years in service or attained 60 years of age.
According to them, the action of the police officees got favourable judgement in April 2022 but said the defendants – the IGP, the Police Service Commission and the Secretary of the Police Force, allegedly refused to enforce the judgment till date.
In a Save Our Soul letter to the President, through their lawyer, Mr Olatoye Adejola, explained that the aggrieved officers said the National Industrial Court had directed the IGP to re-engage them but the latter allegedly failed to yield to the directives.
The states in the letter that the force ordered the concerned cops to report to Abuja in August 2024, for documentation with the expectation that they would be reabsorbed into force but after the documentation, nothing was heard from the force on the matter.
ALSO READ: How Lagos sustains religious tolerance — Aide
The letter read, “We are solicitors to Police Officers who are members of Courses 33, 34 and 35 (Force Entrants) of the Police Academy of the Nigeria Police Force (hereinafter referred to as “our clients”) and on whose mandate we write this letter of complaint as a corollary to our previous letters and other steps already taken by our clients to ease their long time suffering and pains as a result of the inaction of the police authorities.
“We wish to express our deep concerns about the failure of the Inspector General of Police in ensuring compliance and implementation of the directive of the commission to the effect that the Industrial Court judgment in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/281/2021 be enforced, and all officers affected by the judgment are to have their dates of appointment regularized.
“Our clients were very elated and optimistic when they received signals to report at Abuja between 12th and 16th August, 2024 for further documentation with a view to receiving their letter of posting for the officers to resume their duty posts and subsequently having their salary restored.
“However, over two months after the documentation had been concluded, no official statement was made or any information received from the IGP. Our clients are confused and at the same time in total dismay as they are in darkness as to what exactly is the problem, having completed the documentation processes.”
Also, the officers urged the President to use his office to further direct the IGP, to without further delay, “expedite action on the regularization of their dates of appointment as directed in the court judgement from a competent jurisdiction and without any appeal against it.”
READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE