Nigerian Policeman Cries Out Over Injustice: ‘I Was Dismissed Unlawfully, Reinstated, But 13 Years’ Salaries Never Paid’

The officer, who said he has spent years seeking justice, alleged that promotions, salaries, and benefits due to him for over a decade remain unpaid, even after his dismissal from the force was overturned.

A serving officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Inspector Ovuomareni A. Eminence, with AP/No. 270735, has cried out over a grave injustice allegedly committed against him by the police authorities and the Police Service Commission, despite a resolution of the National Assembly of Nigeria ordering that his case be addressed.

The officer, who said he has spent years seeking justice, alleged that promotions, salaries, and benefits due to him for over a decade remain unpaid, even after his dismissal from the force was overturned.

In a petition dated February 9, 2026 and addressed to the Chairman of the Police Service Commission and the leadership of the Nigeria Police, the officer demanded the implementation of the National Assembly’s committee report and payment of his outstanding promotional benefits.

“I write to bring to your attention a grave injustice that has befallen me, and to demand immediate redress,” Inspector Ovuomareni wrote in the petition.

According to the officer, he was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on April 1, 2004, and was subsequently posted to the Bayelsa State Command.

However, barely a year later, he was dismissed from the force on November 28, 2005, over an allegation of absence from duty.

He maintained that the dismissal was unlawful and inconsistent with the recommendation of the police disciplinary proceedings.

“I was unlawfully dismissed for alleged absence from duty, despite my efforts to provide evidence and clear my name,” he said.

The officer added that the Orderly Room trial initially recommended only a minor punishment, yet the police authorities went ahead to dismiss him.

Following years of petitioning, the case eventually reached the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions of the National Assembly.

In its report presented in July 2017 by the then committee chairman, Samuel Anyanwu, the Senate found irregularities in the disciplinary action taken against the officer.

The committee observed that the petitioner was tried on a one-count charge of absence from duty for four days, and the Orderly Room trial recommended a minor punishment of three naira (N3.00) entry, but the police instead dismissed him from service.

After reviewing submissions from both parties, the Senate committee concluded that the punishment imposed on the officer did not follow the recommendation of the disciplinary proceedings.

The committee therefore recommended that: “The decision of the Nigeria Police Force to reinstate the officer be sustained and adopted.

“All entitlements due to the officer according to his rank be fully granted and paid to him.”

Documents obtained by SaharaReporters also show that the police authorities acknowledged the recommendation.

In a letter dated July 18, 2017, with reference number 6790/FPM/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.6/811, the then Commissioner of Police at Force Headquarters, John D. Amadi, wrote to the Commissioner of Police in charge of Finance and Administration.

“The Inspector-General of Police has considered the appeal submitted by the above-named officer and has graciously set aside his punishment of dismissal and reinstated the appellant with effect from 18th July 2017, without salary arrears,” the letter stated.

The letter further directed that the officer’s salary and emoluments be restored and that he be re-kitted and documented accordingly.

Copies of the directive were also sent to several senior police authorities, including Deputy Inspectors-General and Assistant Inspectors-General across multiple departments at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

However, despite the reinstatement, Inspector Ovuomareni said the recommendations of the Senate committee have not been fully implemented, prompting him to write again on February 17, 2026 to the Inspector-General of Police.

In the letter, he listed several unresolved grievances.

“The National Assembly’s resolution made with regards to my case since 2017 is yet to be implemented,” he wrote.

He further claimed that while he was away from the force during the years of his dismissal, internal records allegedly showed that he had been upgraded from Police Constable (PC) to Corporal (CPL) and Sergeant (SGT) without any formal notification.

According to him, salaries corresponding to those ranks were never paid.

“I was upgraded from Police Constable to Corporal and Sergeant without signals or notifications, and my salaries for those years remain unpaid,” he said.

The officer also demanded that his promotion be backdated to the level he should have attained when he was unlawfully dismissed.

“My promotion should be backdated to the time and level I was unlawfully dismissed (Sergeant, June 8th, 2016),” he said.

He further insisted on a special promotion to the rank of confirmed Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), which he said was recommended in the National Assembly committee’s report.

In addition, he demanded the “payment of 13 years of outstanding salaries and allowances.

“Payment of benefits related to his promotions to Corporal and Sergeant. Correction of the omission of his promotion to Corporal in 2018”.

“I demand that the police authority comply with the National Assembly committee report and upgrade me to the rank of confirmed ASP, pay my outstanding salaries and allowances, and correct the omission in my promotion,” he wrote.

Inspector Ovuomareni urged the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to re-investigate his case and enforce the Senate’s resolution.

“I urge you to investigate this matter again for the sake of justice and take necessary actions to address these injustices,” he said.