The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, adjourned ruling on the suit filed by Courses 18, 19, and 20 (Force Entrants) of the Police Academy challenging their forceful retirement from the Nigeria Police Force by the Police Service Commission (PSC), Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Force Secretary.

The court had earlier slated Tuesday to deliver the ruling, but when the matter was called, the trial judge, Justice R. B. Haastrup
announced that the ruling was not ready.

GALAXY TV reports that the judge consequently adjourned the ruling till March 17 and ordered that hearing notices be served on the 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matter.

However, Chief Goddy Uche, SAN, who represented the claimants in the matter, informed the court that the 2nd and 3rd defendants, who were not in court, allegedly reduced the rank of some of the claimants and retired them from service while the case was still pending in court.

Although the 2nd and 3rd defendants were not in court, nor were they represented in court, the judge noted that, at the last proceedings in the matter, the defendants told the court that they would not be in court on Tuesday for the ruling as they have other matters outside jurisdiction, which the court permitted.

The plaintiffs, who sued for themselves and as representing all members of Course 18, 19, and 20 (Force Entrants) of the Police Academy, in their motion on notice marked, NICN/ABJ/28/2025, seek an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from retiring or suspending any of the officers of the Course who are yet to serve 35 years of pensionable service or reach the mandatory retirement age of 60 years from service of the Nigeria Police Force pending the hearing and determination of their substantive suit.

They also want an order restraining the defendants from suspending the salary or posting of any of the officers of Courses 18, 19, and 20 (Force Entrants) of the Police Academy.

The aggrieved officers had, in their suit, filed on their behalf by their counsel, Edwin Okoro Esq, prayed the court to quash the injustice done against them and to determine, “Whether taking into consideration, the judgments of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, delivered by Justice O. Oyewunmi in suit Nos.