The National Industrial Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the Police Service Commission to pay N40m damages to retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, for forcing him to retire from the Force prematurely.
The court, in a judgment by Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae, nullified Mbu’s retirement, holding that he remained an officer of the Nigeria Police Force until May 10, 2018, when he clocked 60.
“I hold that the claimant’s premature retirement, through a press release on July 2, 2016, is unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect,” Justice Obaseki-Osaghae held.
The judge ordered the PSC to pay Mbu his salaries, allowances and entitlements from July 2, 2016, when he was prematurely retired, to May 10, 2018, which ought to be his proper retirement date at 60 years.
Mbu had filed the suit in July 2016, when he was the Commandant of the Police Staff College, to challenge his premature retirement from the police.
He gave his date of birth as May 10, 1958, adding that he joined the police on December 11, 1985.
He contended that he had not reached the mandatory retirement age of 60, nor had he spent 35 years in service, when he was prematurely retired in 2016 via a press release and without a statutory notice of retirement.
But in its defence, the PSC said Mbu was pulled out from the force in a ceremonial event and not retired through a press release.
The PSC said promotion in the force was not automatic and that Mbu did not meet some of the requirements for promotion at the time, adding that he was not the only officer affected by the pull-out.
