Mike Wabali
Joseph Gobun Mukan, the commissioner of police for Rivers State has become a subject of age falsification scandal, theportcitynews has exclusively gathered.
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 sighted by theportcitynews, the CP reached the mandatory retirement age in June 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.
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Police sources alleged 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, 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 said “You know that Rivers is a highly sought after state for posting as CP and with this discovery, 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.
