Court orders IGP to produce ex-Police chiefs over alleged age falsification charges

Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting at Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to do all within his powers with a view to bringing before the court five former senior police officers for prosecution in the charges brought against them bordering on forgery and age falsification before the court.

The IGP had brought a 14-count charge against 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) before the court in the charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/353/2025.

The police boss had, among others, accused Owohunwa, Igwe, Opara, Obo and Lough of conspiracy, age falsification and forgery.

When the case was called yesterday for the arraignment of the former senior police officers, prosecuting counsel, Rimamsomte Ezekiel, expressed disappointment that they were absent in court despite being served with the charge.

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He told the court that the five defendants had been served with the charge as required by law, adding that in view of that they were expected to be in court for their arraignment.

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

“We find it difficult to asked for a bench warrant because they have not been arraigned before this court,” Ezekiel told the court.

The prosecutor, however, applied for an adjournment to enable the prosecution produce the defendants in court for their arraignment.

Responding to the development, Justice Halilu said the prosecution should do all within its power to produce the defendants in court by the next adjourned date.

“You are the prosecutor. You should do all within your powers to ensure that the defendants attend court on the next adjourned date for the purpose of arraignment,” the judge said.

He subsequently adjourned the case to September 25 for the prosecution to produce the five defendants.

Some of the charges preferred against the retired senior police officers include:

*That you, AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd), CP Benneth Igweh (retd), CP Ukachi Peter Opara (retd), DCP Obo Ukam Obo (retd), ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (retd) 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.

*That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa, (retd), CP Benneth Igweh (retd), CP Ukachi Peter Opara (retd), DCP Obo Ukam Obo (retd), ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (retd) 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.

*That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa (retd) 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.

*That you ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (retd) on or about 25th 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.

*That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa (retd) 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.

*That you CP Benneth Igwe (retd) 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.

*That you ACP Simon A. Louph SAN (retd) 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 1st August, 2022 till January, 2025 and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 161 of the Penal Code Law.

(Tribune)