Joseph Gobun Mukan, the outgoing Rivers State commissioner of police has been promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police despite attaining the statutory retirement age of 60.
The police service commission had during the week announced the promotion of nine assistant inspector generals, including Mukan.
The new Assistant Inspectors General are Aminu Saleh Pai, former Commissioner of Police Kwara and Bayelsa states command, former Force Quarter Master General and currently Executive Secretary, The Police Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Lagos; Dasuki Danbappa Galadanchi, former Commissioner of Police/Executive Secretary, The Police Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Lagos and presently acting AIG, Force CID Annex, Lagos; Okon Etim Ene, former Commissioner of Police, Benue and Abia state commands, CP SARS and currently CP, Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD), Force Headquarters, and Abang B. John, former Commissioner of Police Akwa Ibom State Command and presently Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command.
Others are Joseph Gobum Mukan, former CP, Airport Command, Lagos and currently CP, Rivers State; Aji Ali Janga, former CP, Kaduna and Kogi states commands and currently CP, Sokoto; Mukaddas Mohammed Garba, presently CP, Benue State Command; Habu Sani Ahmadu, former CP, IGP Monitoring Unit, CP Intelligence, Force Headquarters and CP, Bauchi State Command and presently CP, Kano State, and Imohimi D. Edgal, former Commissioner of Police, Lagos and Akwa Ibom states commands.
The CP was a subject of age falsification scandal in November 2020 when an online newspaper, theportcitynews reported exclusively that the then CP had attained the age of 60 but was yet to be retired.
According to the paper: “The Plateau state-born senior police officer assumed duties as the 41st Commissioner of Police of the state on April 20, 2020, after succeeding Mustapha Dandaura (Currently promoted as Assistant Inspector-General) who was removed following the arrest and arraignment of two Carventon helicopter pilots for violating the state’s covid-19 lockdown order”.
According to documents the paper cited, the CP reached the mandatory retirement age in June 2020 as he was born on the 21st June 1960.
“According to the police act, an officer is due for retirement either after 35 years of service or upon attainment of 60 years of age.
“Age falsification is rife in Nigeria’s civil service and its security organizations with expert describing it as part of the corruption which has impeded productivity in the civil service and security organizations in the country.
“One of such documents sighted is the CP’s international passport which showed that the CP was born on June 21, 1960, and was supposed to retire five months ago,” the paper wrote.
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The paper quoted police sources as alleging that the CP falsified his service age which he reduced by two years, claiming he was born in 1962.
“A source said that the discovery of the CP’s real age has been a subject of discussion at the force headquarters in Abuja, adding that the IGP may have likely been briefed about the development.
“The source who pleaded anonymity said that with the discovery, the pressure will be mounted on the Police Service Commission and the IGP for the CP to be retired”.
The source who is also a senior police officer told the paper that: “You know that Rivers is a highly sought after state for posting as CP and with this discovery, the pressure will be mounted on the Police Service Commission and the IGP for the CP to be retired.
“Age falsification is part of the problem in the force. This is part of the problem that led to the #EndSars protests” he said.
The editor of the paper was later arrested after the publication which attracted condemnation from right groups, including Amnesty International.
