An Abuja High Court has directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure the immediate appearance of five retired senior police officers facing charges of forgery, age falsification, and conspiracy.
Presiding over the matter on Tuesday, Justice Yusuf Halilu issued the order following the absence of the defendants in court despite being properly served with the charges. The judge, addressing the prosecuting counsel, Rimamsomte Ezekiel, insisted that the prosecution must ensure the defendants are brought to court at the next sitting.
“You are the prosecutor. You should do all within your powers to ensure that the defendants attend court on the next adjourned date for arraignment,” Justice Halilu said.
The court adjourned the matter to September 25, 2025, to allow time for the prosecution to secure the presence of the accused individuals.
The five retired officers named in the 14-count charge include:
AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd)
CP Benneth Igweh (Rtd)
CP Ukachi Peter Opara (Rtd)
DCP Obo Ukam Obo (Rtd)
ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd)
The charges, marked CR/353/2025, accuse the defendants of conspiring to falsify official records, alter their ages, and remain in service beyond their statutory retirement dates, contrary to provisions of Nigeria’s Public Service Rules and sections of the Penal Code.
During the proceedings, Ezekiel informed the court that the defendants were served with the charges the previous week but failed to appear for their scheduled arraignment. He noted the challenge of requesting a bench warrant since they had yet to be formally arraigned.
Among the accusations is that the defendants conspired, as far back as 1999, to manipulate age records to extend their service years illegally. They are alleged to have benefitted from continued access to official privileges by presenting forged documents and making false declarations to the Nigeria Police Force.
Specific counts detail instances of document tampering and false age declarations. For example, AIG Owohunwa is accused of submitting a backdated declaration of age stating he was born in July 1970, when investigations suggest otherwise. Similarly, ACP Simon Lough SAN is alleged to have submitted false information under oath in an ongoing legal case, falsely claiming he had only served 25 years in the police.
In one charge, CP Benneth Igweh is said to have altered official records to indicate a later birth year, thereby extending his tenure illegally.
The charges, which cite violations of Sections 97, 158, 161, 178, 324, and 366 of the Penal Code Law, carry potential penalties ranging from fines and imprisonment to disqualification from holding future public office.
The prosecution is expected to present further evidence once the arraignment proceeds. The case highlights growing concerns over ethical standards and accountability within Nigeria’s public institutions, especially among high-ranking officials in law enforcement.
The legal community and public observers will closely monitor the proceedings when the court reconvenes in September.
