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Court Orders IGP To Produce Retired Police Officers Over Age Falsification, Forgery

ByTitilope Adako

PublishedJuly 9, 2025

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has ordered the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure the production of five retired senior police officers in court for trial over allegations of age falsification and forgery.

Justice Halilu Yusuf issued the directive on Tuesday after prosecuting counsel, Rimamsomte Ezekiel, raised concern over the defendants’ absence despite being duly served with the charges.

“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 Yusuf said.

The case was adjourned to September 25, 2025, to allow the prosecution time to present the accused in court.

The officers — AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd), CP Benneth Igweh (Rtd), CP Ukachi Peter Opara (Rtd), DCP Obo Ukam Obo (Rtd), and ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) — are facing a 14-count charge filed by the Inspector General of Police.

At the resumed hearing, Ezekiel informed the court, “The defendants have all been served with the charge last week, on Thursday. They were all informed to be in court today, but none of them is in court.

“We find it difficult to ask for a bench warrant because they have not been arraigned before this court,” he added, while requesting an adjournment.

The charges include conspiracy, cheating, forgery, and falsification of official records.

One of the charges reads, “That you, AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd), CP Benneth Igweh (Rtd), CP Ukachi Peter Opara (Rtd), DCP Obo Ukam Obo (Rtd), ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) and others who are now at large, being members of force entrants of the Nigeria Police Force on or about 1999 till date in FCT Abuja, committed the offence of conspiracy with intent to commit criminal offence punishable under Section 97 (1) (2) of the Penal Code Law.”

Another reads, “That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa, (Rtd), CP Benneth Igweh (Rtd), CP Ukachi Peter Opara (Rtd), DCP Obo Ukam Obo (Rtd), ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) and others who are now at large, who are members of force entrants of the Nigeria Police Force on or till January, 2025 in FCT Abuja, falsified and altered your ages and documents in the name of Nigeria Police Force in which you failed and could not vacate from office when you supposed to leave on retirement in line with Public Service Rule of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, remained and illegally benefited the privileges of your office and thereby committed offence of cheating, and punishable under Section 324 of the Penal Code Law.”

One specific charge against Owohunwa states, “That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd) on or about 30th April, 2021 in FCT Abuja, as a member of force entrants of the Nigeria Police Force Course 19 issued directives in the name of the Inspector-General of Police on the implementation of judgments, judgment which you know to be by fraud with fake and falsified documents and thereby committed the above offence punishable under Section 178 of the Penal Code Law.”

Another states, “That you ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) on or about 25″ day of March, 2025 in FCT Abuja, dishonestly and fraudulently depose to process of court in the case of AIG Idowu Owohunwa & 2 others v. PSC & 7 others, suit No: NICN/ABJ/88/2025A that you have only served for 25 years in the Nigeria Police Force, knowing that, you are lying and also dishonest when you enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on 1st August, 1987 and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 158(1) of the Penal Code Law.”

Further allegations against Owohunwa include, “That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd) on or about December, 2024 in Abuja, with intent to remain serving in the Nigeria Police Force against the provision of the public Service Rules of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, dishonestly falsified and submitted to the Nigeria Police Force Record, a declaration of age dated 4th April, 1990 Kogi State of Nigeria, that you are born on 20 July, 1970 and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 366 of the Penal Code Law.”

A charge against Igweh reads, “That you CP Benneth Igwe (Rtd) on or about December, 2024 in Abuja, committed the offence of age falsification in that you enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on 1st May, 1988 on record that you were born on 7th October, 1964, and investigation revealed that you altered your age to be that you are born on 7th October, 1968 and also that you enlisted into the Nigeria Police in 1996, you thereby committed offence punishable under Section 366 of the Penal Code Law.”

Another count against Lough states, “That you ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) on or about July, 2022 in FCT Abuja, committed offence of falsifying your age in order to remain serving in the Nigeria Police Force in that, when you enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on 1st August, 1987 on record, you were born on 14th May, 1967, you dishonestly and fraudulently altered and fake your age to be 14th May, 1969 against Public Service Rule of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also knowing that you have retired but remain in office beyond Ist August, 2022 till January, 2025 and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 161 of the Penal Code Law.”

Titilope Adako

Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.