Court halts reinstatement of 455 retired policemen

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The National Industrial Court in Abuja has restrained the police authorities from implementing the reinstatement of graduates of Cadet ASP Courses 18, 19 and 20 of the Nigeria Police Academy, Kano, into the Nigeria Police Force.

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Justice Buhari Sani, in a ruling delivered on September 22, 2026, granted an interim injunction restraining the affected authorities from implementing, giving effect to or enforcing the decision approving the officers’ reinstatement pending the determination of an application for interlocutory injunction.

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The suit was marked NICN/KN/51/2026, and the ruling was contained in a Certified True Copy obtained by The PUNCH on Monday.

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According to the CTC, the court also ordered the parties to maintain the status quo that existed immediately before the decision to reinstate the officers.

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The court specifically ordered that the 1st, 2nd and 5th defendants, including their officers, servants, agents and privies, be restrained “from implementing, giving effect to or enforcing the decision approving the reinstatement” of the Cadet ASP Courses 18, 19 and 20 graduates pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.

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It further directed the affected defendants “to maintain the status quo existing immediately before the decision to reinstate” the officers.

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The applicant was also ordered to serve the ruling, the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction and the originating summons within three days.

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The case was adjourned until September 30, 2026, for the hearing of the Motion on Notice.

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The fresh injunction followed an application by Advocacy for Human Rights and Cultural Values for Development Initiatives, which challenged the return of the officers to the Force.

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In its originating summons supported by a a 29-paragraphed affidavit deposed to by one Sambo Jibril Jada, the applicants sought an order of the court, restraining the first, second and fifth defendants from enforcing the decision of the appellate court pending the determination of its originating summons.

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They also sought an order directing the defendants to maintain status quo immediately before the decision to reinstate the officers.

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The PUNCH reports that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal affirmed a previous judgment of the National Industrial Court ordering the reinstatement of 455 senior police officers compulsorily retired in January 2025.

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The appellate court had dismissed an appeal filed by the Police Service Commission against the judgment of the industrial court in the case involving ACP Chinedu Ambrose Emengaha and eight others.

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The NICN, in its judgment delivered on September 30, 2025, by Justice R.B. Haastrup, had nullified the retirement of the affected officers and ordered their immediate reinstatement, alongside the payment of their salaries and allowances.

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The court had also restrained the PSC and the then Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, from taking further actions relating to the retirement of the officers.

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Dissatisfied with the judgment, the commission and police authorities filed separate appeals.

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However, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal comprising Justices Okorowo, Banjoko and Abang dismissed the commission’s appeal and affirmed the decision of the lower court.

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The development followed an earlier decision of the same appellate court on March 16, 2026, when it struck out a separate appeal filed by the Inspector-General of Police and the Force Secretary in relation to the same matter.

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The controversy began after the PSC, in conjunction with the police leadership, retired 455 senior officers on January 31, 2025.

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Among those affected were senior officers, including AIG Idowu Owohunwa, AIG Ben Igwe and DCP Simon Lough.

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The affected officers subsequently approached the National Industrial Court, challenging their retirement and seeking their reinstatement and payment of their entitlements.

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While the Court of Appeal has affirmed the judgment ordering their reinstatement, the latest interim injunction has created a fresh legal hurdle to the implementation of the decision, with the National Industrial Court now expected to hear the application for interlocutory injunction on September 30.

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