The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, affirmed the judgment of the National Industrial Court which nullified the compulsory retirement of 455 senior police officers, dismissing an appeal filed by the Police Service Commission (PSC).

In its ruling on appeal No. CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1829MI/2025, the appellate court upheld the earlier decision delivered by Justice R.B. Haastrup of the National Industrial Court, which declared the officers’ retirement unlawful and ordered their immediate reinstatement.

The case, instituted by ACP Chinedu Ambrose Emengaha and others against the PSC, stemmed from the mass retirement carried out on January 31, 2025, under the leadership of former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, in conjunction with the commission.

The appellate court’s decision effectively resolves the long-standing dispute over the proper date of first appointment for officers in Cadet ASP Courses 18, 19, and 20 of the Police Academy, a key issue that had fueled the controversy.

Earlier, on March 16, 2026, the same court had struck out a separate appeal filed by the Inspector-General of Police and the Force Secretary in a related matter (CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1620MI/2025), describing it as lacking merit.

The initial retirements, which affected several senior officers, including high-ranking officials, had triggered widespread concern within the force, prompting the affected officers to seek legal redress at the National Industrial Court.

In its September 30, 2025 judgment, the National Industrial Court granted all the reliefs sought by the claimants, directing the PSC and the then IGP to reinstate the officers and pay all outstanding salaries and allowances. The court also restrained the authorities from taking further actions deemed unlawful against the officers.

Despite the ruling, both the PSC and the former IGP challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal. However, both appeals have now been resolved in favour of the affected officers.

Legal observers say the appellate rulings mark a significant stance against administrative overreach and reinforce the authority of court decisions in matters relating to public service employment.

Meanwhile, stakeholders have urged the current Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the leadership of the Police Service Commission to comply fully with the court’s directives by reinstating the affected officers without delay.

They expressed optimism that the present police leadership would uphold the rule of law and avoid the controversies that characterised the previous administration.