“Submit Your Retirement Notices” — Police Headquarters Orders Six Commissioners To Exit Over Age Limit

The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja has directed six Commissioners of Police to submit individual retirement notices following a determination that they had attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 years.

The directive, contained in an internal police wireless communication issued through the Office of the Force Secretary, instructed the affected senior officers to initiate their retirement processes in accordance with applicable public service regulations.

The communication, marked for immediate attention, was circulated to relevant police formations and departments, including the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Department of Training and Development, Police Academy, Zone 7 Command and other affected commands.

According to the directive, the Inspector-General of Police instructed that the officers be formally notified to submit their individual retirement notices.

The message stated: “INGENPOL warns you and directs under-listed Commissioners of Police to submit individual notices of retirement, having attained mandatory statutory retirement age of 60 years.”

The six officers identified in a version of the wireless message published by SaharaReporters are CP Adamu A. Elleman, CP Abdullateef A. Yusuf, CP Lasisi A. Titilola, CP Markus Ishaku Basiran, CP Ajayi Oluyemi and CP Sylvester Onyie Uzouefuna.

The communication also referred to correspondence from the Police Service Commission, identified as PSC/2116/III/26 and dated October 27, 2026.

Police authorities directed the receiving formations to ensure that the affected officers were notified and that the retirement instructions were complied with.

The development follows earlier efforts by the Police Service Commission to enforce the statutory retirement provisions applicable to police personnel.

Under the relevant public service regulations, police officers are generally required to retire upon attaining 60 years of age or completing 35 years of pensionable service, whichever comes first, subject to applicable statutory provisions.

In January 2025, the Police Service Commission approved the retirement of senior officers who had exceeded the prescribed age or length of service.

The commission explained that the decision followed a review of its September 2017 position permitting certain officers who entered the Force through another appointment arrangement to calculate their service from the date of their subsequent appointment rather than their initial enlistment.

It maintained that the earlier arrangement was inconsistent with Public Service Rule 020908, which governs compulsory retirement.

The decision subsequently generated disagreements within the police hierarchy and led to legal challenges by some affected officers.

In February 2025, the Force Headquarters issued instructions implementing the commission’s retirement decision after an earlier directive had asked affected personnel to await further instructions.

The latest directive concerning the six Commissioners of Police therefore comes against the background of continuing scrutiny of retirement eligibility, service records and compliance with public service regulations.

However, questions have emerged over the ages of the officers named in the latest communication.

The dates of birth reproduced in published accounts include January 5, 1958; January 28, 1963; January 17, 1966; January 25, 1965; September 2, 1966; and April 25, 1964.

As of November 2026, several of those dates would place the affected individuals below the stated compulsory retirement age of 60.

There are also differences between the names and dates reproduced in separate media accounts of the police communication.

The discrepancies raise questions about whether the directive concerns the officers’ actual ages, disputed personnel records or other retirement eligibility considerations.

The available reports do not establish the explanation for those inconsistencies, and the underlying personnel records have not been independently authenticated.

It also remains unclear whether the affected Commissioners have submitted their retirement notices or whether any of them intends to challenge the directive.

The development places renewed attention on the enforcement of retirement regulations within the Nigeria Police Force and the need for consistency in applying statutory service conditions to senior officers.

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