BREAKING: Police Demote Simon Lough, SAN, From DCP To ACP And Retire Him Along With Other Senior Officers

The Nigeria Police Force has compulsorily retired six senior officers, including a former Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory, Bennett Igweh. Additionally, two officers were demoted before their retirement....Read Full Article >>➤

A wireless message obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, dated March 4, 2025, and signed by the Force Secretary, revealed that Igweh, who was recently promoted to Assistant Inspector General and deployed to head Zone 7 Police Headquarters in Abuja, was demoted to Commissioner of Police before being retired.

Similarly, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Simon Lough was demoted to Assistant Commissioner of Police before his retirement. Other officers affected by the directive include AIG Idowu Owohunwa, who was retired effective February 10, 2025; CP Bennett Igweh, retired effective May 1, 2023; CP Aina Emmanuel A., retired effective February 10, 2025; CP Salama Wakili Abdul, retired effective February 26, 2025; ACP Simon A. Iough (SAN), retired effective August 1, 2022; and ACP Dakon Philip Sarpiya, retired effective December 12, 2023.

The directive followed an extraordinary meeting of the Police Service Commission held on February 20, 2025, where the decision to retire the officers was made.

The message, marked CH:8400/FS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.1/346 and titled “Discharge and Retirement,” instructed the immediate removal of their names from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.

Part of the message read: “Grateful be informed that the underlisted senior police officers have been retired from the Force with effect from the dates indicated against their names…”

It further directed: “AIGPOL Budget Abuja only. INGEOL directs you to delete names of officers below AIG rank from IPPIS payroll. Yours, NIGPOL ICT/Computer/Abuja. Record all states only.”

When contacted for a reaction, Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, referred our correspondent to the Police Service Commission.

However, PSC spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, stated that he had not yet been briefed on the matter.