IGP challenges court’s imprisonment order

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has filed a motion before a Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the “contempt proceedings and committal order” brought against him.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, made this known via a statement issued on Friday.

It would be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, sentenced the IGP to three months in prison for disobeying a valid court order.

The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice M. O. Olajuwon, held that Baba should be committed to prison and detained in custody for a period of three months, or until he obeyed an order it made since October 21, 2011.

“If at the end of the three months, the contemnor remains recalcitrant and still refuses to purge his contempt, he shall be committed for another period and until he purges his contempt,” the court held.

The IGP’s committal followed a suit that was filed by a police officer, Patrick Okoli, who was unlawfully and compulsorily retired from the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).

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Justice Olajuwon noted that though the Police Service Commission (PSC) recommended Okoli’s reinstatement into the police, a decision that was affirmed by the court, the IGP refused to comply with the order.

The court had also ordered payment of N10 million to the applicant, being special and general damage for the unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional denial of his rights and privileges as a Senior Officer of the Nigeria Police Force from 1993 till date.

However, Adejobi stated that Baba filed the motion to seek for an order to set aside the contempt proceedings and committal order.

He said the grounds for the motion was that Baba had not been appointed into office as IGP when the case was instituted.

Adejobi stated that the contempt proceedings were served via substituted means in November 2018, and January 2019, respectively, on the former IGP, and not on Baba as the incumbent.

The police spokesperson said official steps were taken before Baba’s assumption of office by his predecessors to comply with the reinstatement order of the plaintiff, Patrick  Okoli.

“This was evidenced by an official letter addressed to the Police Service Commission, on the approval of the then IGP, as far back as 2015, before the court order of November 29, 2022.

‘The then IGP requested the commission to issue a reinstatement letter to the plaintiff, and effect his promotion, in line with the order of the Court in the exercise of its statutory authority.

“The grounds for the contempt proceedings ought not to have existed,” he said.

Adejobi said the IGP would not at anytime, wittingly or unwittingly, disobey any order validly granted by courts of competent jurisdiction.

The Star