The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against five retired senior police officers over alleged age falsification and forgery, but their arraignment was stalled for the third time on Thursday due to their absence in court.
The defendants — AIG Idowu Owohunwa (retd.), CP Benneth Igweh (retd.), CP Ukachi Peter Opara (retd.), DCP Obo Ukam Obo (retd.), and ACP Simon A. Lough (SAN) (retd.) — are facing a 14-count charge, marked CR/353/2025, brought by the Inspector-General of Police before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama.
They are accused of conspiring to falsify their ages in order to remain in service beyond the mandatory retirement period, in contravention of the Penal Code and Public Service Rules. The charges also allege forgery, fraudulent declarations, and the use of falsified documents in official police records and court proceedings.
At Thursday’s hearing, prosecution counsel ACP Rimamsomte Ezekiel informed the court that attempts to serve the defendants at their last known addresses were unsuccessful as they had relocated. He added that copies of the charges were sent to their WhatsApp numbers, but no response was received. Ezekiel therefore urged the court to issue a bench warrant for their arrest.
However, defence counsel Terkaa Aondo (SAN) objected, stressing that criminal charges require personal service. He argued that the police have the capacity to track and arrest the defendants, stating:
“If they could arrest Nnamdi Kanu in Kenya and Omoyele Sowore in Nigeria, why not these defendants?”
In his ruling, Justice Yusuf Halilu held that personal service is mandatory in criminal proceedings and described the prosecution’s request for a bench warrant as premature. He reminded the police that it is their duty to produce the defendants in court, especially after they had previously been granted bail on self-recognisance.
The case was adjourned to November 17, 2025, for arraignment, with the judge directing both the prosecution and defence counsel to ensure the defendants’ presence.
