The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has initiated a 14-count criminal case against several retired senior police officers, including ex-Assistant Inspector-General Idowu Owohunwa and former Commissioners of Police Benneth Igweh and Ukachi Peter Opara.
The charges, filed at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja (Suit No. CR/353/25), accuse them of age falsification and forgery.
Also named in the suit are Deputy Commissioner of Police Obo Ukam Obo and retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Simon Lough, SAN. Additional suspects allegedly involved are still at large.
Court documents reveal that the accused, all former Nigeria Police Force members who joined around 1999, allegedly forged official police communications to manipulate their service records.
One key piece of evidence cited is Signal No. DTO 221535/05/89, purportedly sent from NIGPOL Admin Lagos to the Police Academy Commandant in Kaduna, which investigators claim was falsified as part of the scheme.
The charges include conspiracy, forgery, and illegal tampering with official documents, among other offenses.
The charges read: “That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd) (2) CP Benneth Igweh (Rtd) (3) CP Ukachi Peter Opara (Rtd) (4) DCP Obo Ukam Obo (Rtd) (5) ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) 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 which is within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court 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 (Rtd) (2) CP Benneth Igweh (Rtd) (3) CP Ukachi Peter Opara (Rtd) (4) DCP Obo Ukam Obo (Rtd) (5) ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) and others who are now at large being members of force entrants of the Nigeria Police Force on or about 2019 in FCT Abuja which is within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed offence in that, you falsified and also use as genuine signal of the Nigeria Police Force, signal No. DTO 221535/05/89 in the name of the NIGPOL Admin Lagos to Compol Academy Kaduna and hereby committed offence punishable under Section 366 of the Penal Code Law.
“That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd) (2) CP Benneth Igweh (Rtd) (3) CP Ukachi Peter Opara (Rtd) (4) DCP Obo Ukam Obo (Rtd) (5) ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) and others who are now at large being members of force entrants of the Nigeria Police Force on or about 2019 in FCT Abuja which is within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court to wit, falsified signal in the name of the Nigeria Police Force No: DTO:261340/061/89 Compol Admin Sokoto which you dishonestly committed and thereby committed the offence which is punishable under Section 366 of the Penal Code Law.
The document added, “That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd) (2) CP Benneth Igweh (Rtd) (3) CP Ukachi Peter Opara (Rtd) (4) DCP Obo Ukam Obo (Rtd) and others who are now at large who are members of force entrants of the Nigeria Police Force on or about 22nd day of November, 2019 at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria Garki Abuja to wit, dishonestly used as genuine signal which you falsified No: DTO: 221535/05/89 and No: DTO:261340/061/89 in the case of ACP Chinedu Ambrose Emengaha & Ors -Vs- P.S.C. & 2 Ors, suit No: NICN/ABJ/354/2019 with which you deceived and obtained judgment against the Nigeria Police Force and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 161 of the Penal Code Law.
“That you ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) and others who are now at large being members of force entrants of the Nigeria Police Force on or about 22nd day of November, 2019 at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria Garki Abuja to wit, dishonestly and fraudulently used as genuine signal which you falsified No: DTO: 221535/05/89 and No: DTO:261340/061/89 in the case of ACP Sunday Okuguni & Ors -Vs- PSC & 1 or Suit No: NICN/ABJ/353/2019 for and on behalf of course 20 force entrants of the Nigeria Police Force, which you deceived and obtained judgment against the Nigeria Police Force and thereby committed the offence punishable under Section 161 of the Penal Code Law.
“That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd) (2) CP Benneth Igwch (Red) (3) CP Ukachi Peter Opara (Rtd) (4) DCP Obo Ukam Obo (Rid) (5) ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) and others who are now at large who are members of force entrants of the Nigeria Police Force on or about 2021 and 2022 dishonestly connived with CSP Egong Egwu Egong & Ors for and as representing members of course 33, 34 and 35 of the Police Academy -Vs- PSC & 2 Ors Suit No NICN/ABJ/281/21 and ACP Adesina Olunlade & 1 Or for themselves and for course 21 of Force entrants of the Police Academy-Vs-PSC & 2 Ors suit No: NICN/ABJ/51/2022 No. DTO: 22/1535/05/89 and No: DTO: 261340/061/89 deceived and obtained judgments at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria against the Nigeria Police Force by Frauds and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 161 of the Penal Code Law.
It said, “That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd) (2) CP Benneth Igweh (Rtd) (3) ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) on or about 25th day of March, 2025 in FCT Abuja which is within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and with intents to mislead the National Industrial Court of Nigeria and the general members of the public, depose to the affidavit in the case of AIG Idowu Owohunwa & 2 Ors-vs- PSC & 7 Ors suit No: NICN/ABJ/88/2025 that you are all serving members of the Nigeria Police Force knowing that you have served and retired from the force and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 158(2) of the Penal Code Law.
“That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd) (2) CP Benneth Igweh (Rtd) (3) ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) on or about 25th March, 2025 in FCT Abuja which Es within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly and fraudulently ttached your falsified signals No: DTO: 221535/05/89 and No: DTO 51340/061/89 to your case in between AIG Idowu Owohunwa & 2 Ors -Vs-SC & 7 Ors, Suit: NICN/ABJ/88/2025 with view to mislead the court that, the d documents truly came from the Nigeria Police Force and thereby committed ence punishable under Section 161 of the Penal Code Law.
“That you AIG Idowu Owokunws (Red) on or about 30 April, 2021 in FCT Abuja which is within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court as a member of force entrants of the Nigeria Police Force, course 19 sssued 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.
According to the document, “That you ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) on or about 25 day of March, 2025 in FCT Abuja which is within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Coun, dishonestly and fraudulently depose to process of court in the case of AIG Idowu Owahunwa & 2 Or-Vs- PSC & 7 Ors, 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 1” August, 1987 and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 158(1) of the Penal Code Law.
“That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd) on or about December, 2024 in Abuja which is within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and 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 4% April, 1990 Kogi State of Nigeria that you are born on 20th July, 1970 and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 366 of the Penal Code Law.
“That you CP Benneth Igwe (Rtd) on or about December, 2024 in Abuja which is within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, to wit committed the offence of age falsification in that you enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on 1 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 wallows that you enlisted into the Nigeria Police in 1996. You thereby committed esus punishable under Section 366 of the Penal Code Law
“That you ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) on or about July, 2022 in FCT Abuja which is within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed offence of falsifying your age in order to remain serving in the Nigeria Police Force in that, when you onlusted into the Nigeria Police Force on 1 August, 1987 on record, you were born on 14 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 1 August, 2022 till January, 2025 and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 161 of the Penal Code Law.
“That you AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd) (2) CP Benneth Igweh (Rtd) (3) CP Ukachi Peter Opara (Rtd) (4) DCP Obo Ukam Obo (Rtd) (5) ACP Simon A. Lough SAN (Rtd) 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 which is within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court. You 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.”
It would be recalled that on March 6, 2025, it was widely reported that the Force announced the discharge and retirement of seven senior officers including AIG Owohunwa and ACP Simon Lough. Others in the list were Benneth Igweh C., CP Aina Emmanuel A., CP Salama Wakili Abdul, ACP Dakon Philip Sarpiwefa, and Grace O. Ejiofor.
The announcement was made in a police wireless message dated March 4, 2025 and sent to zonal commands, state commands, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) among others.
It cited the ‘Decisions of the Extra Ordinary Meeting of the Police Service Commission held on Thursday 20th February, 2025.’
SaharaReporters had also exclusively reported that the latest casualty of the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun’s power consolidation at the time was Owohunwa, whom the IGP reportedly saw as an “archenemy” and a threat to his continued stay in office.
Owohunwa was the AIG in charge of Zone 12 Bauchi.
The police authorities promptly prepared his retirement letter after he failed to secure a promotion to the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG).
The Police Service Commission (PSC) declined to elevate Owohunwa, paving the way for his removal.
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