IGP Shakes Police Hierarchy: Five Senior Officers Face Court Over Age Fraud Allegations

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has filed criminal charges against five senior retired officers of the Force, alleging they falsified their age records to unlawfully extend their service years.

Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court has scheduled the arraignment for Thursday, September 25, 2025, on a 14-count charge encompassing conspiracy, forgery, and misconduct.

The officers named in the charge sheet include:

• Idowu Owohunwa, retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police

• Benneth Igwe, retired Commissioner of Police

• Ukachi Opara, retired Commissioner of Police

• Obo Ukam Obo, retired Deputy Commissioner of Police

• Simon Lough, retired Assistant Commissioner of Police

Court documents also mention “others at large” allegedly involved in manipulating official records.

According to the charges:

• Owohunwa reportedly altered his birth date in December 2024, claiming July 20, 1970, instead of his actual date.

• Igwe is accused of changing his birth year from 1964 to 1968, with conflicting enlistment dates of 1988 and 1996 also found in his records.

• Lough allegedly modified his birth date from May 14, 1967, to May 14, 1969, in July 2022, violating Public Service Rules.

The offences are cited under Sections 97, 161, 366, and 158 of the Penal Code, carrying significant legal consequences.

The accused, however, dismissed the case as politically motivated, claiming it stemmed from a petition by the Integrity Youth Alliance, a civil society group led by Kelvin Adegbenga. The group had alleged in January that the officers manipulated their service records to extend their tenure.

Following the petition, the IGP issued queries for serious misconduct on January 7, 2025. Owohunwa admitted to a “mix-up” in his APER Form, which incorrectly reflected his birth year as 1970 instead of 1967, but insisted his official appointment date of August 15, 1996, remained unchanged.

Igwe and Lough denied wrongdoing, arguing the petitioner had confused their records with the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) scheme, which allows for officer upgrades.

Despite these defences, police authorities insist the discrepancies are serious enough to justify prosecution, emphasizing that the case concerns integrity and adherence to public service regulations.