Federal Government charges retired police officers with forgery and age falsification, but their arraignment stalled again in Abuja court

Federal Government charges retired police officers in Abuja over alleged age falsification and forgery, though their arraignment was again stalled on Thursday after they failed to appear in court.

Also read: PenCom Police Pension Reform Proposal Seeks 75% Salary

The five 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, filed by the Inspector-General of Police before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama.

They are accused of conspiring to manipulate their dates of birth to extend their service years in violation of the Penal Code and the Public Service Rules.

The charges also allege forgery, fraudulent declarations, and the use of falsified records in both police documents and court proceedings.

At Thursday’s session, prosecution counsel ACP Rimamsomte Ezekiel told the court that efforts to serve the defendants had failed, noting that they had relocated from their last known addresses.

He added that copies of the charge were sent to their WhatsApp numbers but produced no response. He urged the court to issue a bench warrant for their arrest.

Defence counsel Terkaa Aondo (SAN) opposed the application, arguing that criminal charges require personal service and stressing that the police had the capacity to arrest and produce the defendants if they wished.

“If they could arrest Nnamdi Kanu in Kenya and Omoyele Sowore in Nigeria, why not these defendants?” he asked.

In his ruling, Justice Yusuf Halilu rejected the request for a bench warrant, calling it premature.

He emphasised that personal service was mandatory in criminal proceedings and reminded the police that the responsibility to present the defendants lay with them, especially since the accused had previously been granted bail on self-recognisance.

Also read: Police Officers Forgery Prosecution Case Encounters Serious Court Delay

The court adjourned the case until 17 November for arraignment, directing both parties to ensure the defendants’ presence.