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Police To Reabsorb 92 Disengaged Officers

Published

7 months ago

February 10, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Police Force has agreed to comply with the ruling of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, regarding 92 officers who were forcefully retired before reaching the statutory retirement age.

The affected officers, who were members of Course 33, 34, and 35 of the Nigeria Police Academy, were retired in 2021 despite not attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60 or completing 35 years in service.

Dissatisfied with their forced retirement, the officers challenged the decision in court.

In April 2022, the NICN ruled in their favour, ordering their reinstatement.

However, the Inspector General of Police, the Police Service Commission, and the Secretary of the Police Force allegedly failed to implement the judgment.

Frustrated by the non-compliance, the officers returned to court, seeking a contempt order against the IGP for disobeying the ruling.

Following this, the police directed the affected officers to report to Abuja in August 2024 for documentation, a step believed to be a precursor to their reinstatement.

However, after the documentation process, no further action was taken.

Last week, during a committal proceeding at the NICN, the officers’ lawyer, Mr. Adeleke Agbola (SAN), urged the court to enforce the reinstatement order pending the hearing of the contempt case.

“This is a contempt proceeding. Some urgent issues have arisen since we filed this application. The PSC issued a circular stating that the officers’ initial date of entry into the police force—not their entry into the academy—would be used to calculate their service years.

“However, the court had ruled that their service years should be calculated from their academy entry date. There is no appeal against this judgment. I urge the court to maintain the status quo until the committal proceedings determine whether there has been a breach of the judgment,” Agbola argued.

Responding, counsel for the Nigeria Police Force, Mr. Ade Adedeji (SAN), assured the court that steps were being taken to comply with the ruling.

He confirmed that the judgment had not been challenged and pledged that the police would abide by the court’s decision.

“We have taken steps to obey the court’s judgment. There is no appeal against it; it is final. The circular in question does not affect the claimants and does not prejudice any party in this matter. All the affected officers have been posted. I give an undertaking that the police will comply with the judgment and uphold the rule of law,” Adedeji stated.

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NiMet Predicts Three-day Rain, Thunderstorms From Monday

Published

23 hours ago

September 21, 2025

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JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.

The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.

Details later…

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JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees

Published

1 day ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.

These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.

The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.

The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.

The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.

By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.

The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.

“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”

Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.

“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.

“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.

He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.

“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”

In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.

He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.

He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.

Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.

According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.

This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.