Police Headquarters Orders Six Commissioners To Submit Retirement Notices Over Age Limit

The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters has directed six Commissioners of Police to submit their retirement notices to the Police Service Commission (PSC) following concerns over compliance with the statutory retirement age of 60 years.

The directive, issued through an internal police communication from the Office of the Force Secretary, instructed the affected senior officers to initiate their retirement processes in accordance with applicable public service regulations.

According to a report published on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the directive followed allegations that some of the affected officers had declined to retire despite reaching the mandatory retirement age, with reports also indicating that some were lobbying for promotion to the rank of Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs).

The police signal, titled “Discharge and Retirement” and referenced INGENPOL/FORSEC Abuja – DTO 020749/11/2026, was circulated to several police formations and departments. These included the Police Service Commission, Department of Finance and Accounts, Zone 7 Command, Police Academy, Police Training Schools, Department of Training and Development, Force Criminal Investigation Department and Niger State Police Command.

The communication reportedly directed the affected officers to submit individual retirement notices, warning that they had attained the mandatory statutory retirement age of 60. It also referenced an earlier correspondence forwarded to the Police Service Commission under reference number PSC/2116/111/26.

The officers identified in reports on the directive include CP Adamu A. Elleman, CP Abdullateef A. Yusuf, CP Lasisi A. Titilola, CP Markus Ishaku Basiran, CP Ajayi Oluyemi and CP Sylvester Onyie Uzouefuna. However, the names published in different accounts contain variations, while an earlier Vanguard report listed only five officers by name and referred to a sixth without identifying the individual.

The birth dates reproduced in the reports were January 5, 1958; January 28, 1963; January 17, 1966; January 25, 1965; September 2, 1966; and April 25, 1964. These dates indicate that all six individuals had attained at least 60 years of age by November 2026.

The retirement directive is consistent with the provisions of the Nigeria Police Act 2020, which stipulates in Section 18(8) that every police officer shall serve for 35 years or until attaining the age of 60, whichever comes first.

The latest development follows the Police Service Commission’s January 31, 2025 decision approving the immediate retirement of senior police officers who had spent more than 35 years in service or attained the age of 60. The commission explained that the decision was based on Public Service Rule 020908 (i) and (ii), which provides for compulsory retirement upon meeting either of the two conditions. Public Service Commission

The commission’s 2025 resolution was subsequently communicated to the Inspector-General of Police for implementation. The latest directive from Force Headquarters represents another step in the enforcement of the retirement regulations governing serving senior police officers.

It remains unclear whether all six affected Commissioners of Police have submitted their retirement notices or whether any of them intend to contest the directive. There has also been no publicly documented confirmation of the completion of their retirement processes as of the time of filing this report.