Nigeria Police Force orders officers with 35 years of service to vacate posts

The Nigeria Police Force has issued a nationwide directive ordering personnel who have completed 35 years of service to vacate their duty posts. The instruction, issued via a wireless message from the Force Headquarters in Abuja, mandates that Commissioners of Police and heads of various formations identify affected personnel and compile their details for submission to headquarters.

This directive follows an interim court order related to Suit No. NICN/KN/51/2026, filed by the Advocacy for Human Rights and Cultural Values for Development Initiatives against the Inspector-General of Police and others. The legal dispute centers on the calculation of service dates for Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police Force Entrants and whether they are legally entitled to remain in uniform.

The order, marked ‘M/IMMEDIATE’, has been circulated across multiple departments, including the Force Criminal Investigation Department, the Department of Operations, and the Force Intelligence Department, requiring urgent compliance.