The National Industrial Court in Abuja has temporarily stopped the implementation of the reinstatement of 455 senior police officers compulsorily retired from the Nigeria Police Force.
Justice Buhari Sani issued the interim order on September 22, 2026, directing the relevant police authorities to suspend actions giving effect to the reinstatement pending the hearing of an application for an interlocutory injunction.
The case, filed as NICN/KN/51/2026, was brought by Advocacy for Human Rights and Cultural Values for Development Initiatives.
The court also directed the parties to preserve the situation that existed before the decision to reinstate the officers.
The order specifically restrained the affected defendants, their officers, agents and representatives from implementing or enforcing the decision concerning graduates of Cadet ASP Courses 18, 19 and 20 of the Nigeria Police Academy, Kano.
The court ordered the applicant to serve the ruling, the motion seeking an interlocutory injunction and the originating summons on the defendants within three days.
The matter has been adjourned until September 30, 2026, for the hearing of the application for an interlocutory injunction.
The latest order comes months after the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier judgment of the National Industrial Court directing the reinstatement of the affected officers.
In September 2025, the National Industrial Court had nullified the compulsory retirement of the officers and ordered their immediate reinstatement, including payment of their salaries and allowances.
The judgment followed a suit filed by several affected officers, including ACP Chinedu Ambrose Emengaha and eight others.
The Police Service Commission and police authorities subsequently appealed the decision.
However, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal dismissed the commission’s appeal and affirmed the judgment of the lower court.
The appellate court had also, in March 2026, struck out another appeal filed by the Inspector-General of Police and the Force Secretary over the same matter.
The dispute dates back to January 31, 2025, when the Police Service Commission, in conjunction with the police leadership, retired 455 senior officers.
Among those affected were senior officers including AIG Idowu Owohunwa, AIG Ben Igwe and DCP Simon Lough.
The affected officers challenged the decision at the National Industrial Court, seeking their reinstatement and payment of their entitlements.
Although the Court of Appeal affirmed the order for their reinstatement, the latest interim injunction has temporarily halted its implementation pending further proceedings before the National Industrial Court.
