Moses Jitoboh, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), has taken legal action against his compulsory retirement by the Police Service Commission (PSC) before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60 or completing 35 years in service. He contends that his retirement was wrongful, unconstitutional, and unlawful.
In his statement filed with the National Industrial Court in Abuja, Jitoboh also stated that his forced retirement was a clear violation of Rule 020810 of the Public Service Rules and Section 18 (8) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020.
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The PSC announced the retirement of DIG Jitoboh and three other senior officers in August 2023, citing the police tradition of retiring senior officers when junior officers are promoted to avoid ‘status reversal’ as the reason.
DIG Jitoboh is seeking several reliefs from the court, including a declaration that he is still an officer of the Nigeria Police Force until he completes 35 years in service on June 10, 2029. He claims that he is entitled to his salaries, emoluments, and all other benefits due to him until that date.
Additionally, Jitoboh is requesting an order directing the PSC to pay ₦500 million as general damages for the unwarranted embarrassment caused by his purported termination, which portrayed him as disloyal. He is also seeking ₦50 million as the cost of prosecuting the case.
Furthermore, Jitoboh is arguing that the PSC has no valid board to make decisions related to the retirement or promotion of police officers, as the PSC Board’s tenure had expired in July 2023, in accordance with Section 4 (3) of the Police Service Commission Act, 2001.
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