Police unaware of Court order on reinstatement of dismissed officer- Force spokesman

*Surrender yourself immediately to the Federal Correctional Center, Kuje, HURIWA to IGP

Nigeria's Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba said his office is unaware of any Court order mandating the IGP to reinstate a police officer who was dismissed in 1992.

He described as " strange and astonishing" the news reports that he refused to obey the Court order, saying that the most recent judgment on the matter was given in 2011 which makes it ordinarily fall outside the direct purview of his current administration of the Force. 

The IGP was reacting to the order of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, which sentenced him to three months in prison for flouting a 2011 court order following a suit filed by a police officer, Patrick Okoli, on his unlawful and compulsory retirement from the Nigerian Police Force.

Ruling on the contempt proceedings brought by Okoli’s lawyer, Arinze Egbo, the Federal High Court, also warned that the IGP would be liable for another three-month jail term if he refuses to obey the earlier court judgment. 

Justice Olajuwon, while delivering the ruling said: “It is unfortunate that the chief enforcer of the law has deliberately refused to comply with the same law.

“It is important to state that obedience to orders of the court is fundamental to the good order, peace, and stability of a nation. It is a duty that every citizen, who believes in the peace and stability of the Nigerian state, owes the nation, and the court must commit the individual who has failed to carry out the order of the court for contempt, to prevent the authority and administration of law from being brought to disrespect and protect the dignity of the court.”

Image:TheGuardian

However, a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi said, “The Nigeria Police Force wishes to state emphatically that the office of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, NEAPS, FDC, CFR, did not disregard Court Order or rule of law as the office is not aware of any Court Order, during the current IGP’s tenure, concerning a matter making the round in the media that the IGP disobeyed a Court Order for the reinstatement of a dismissed officer of the Force.

"It is instructive to note that the case in point concerns an officer who was dismissed as far back as 1992, a few years after the current IGP joined the Nigeria Police Force, based on available facts gleaned from the reports. The most recent judgment on the matter was given in 2011 which should ordinarily not fall under the direct purview of the current administration of the Force. Thus, the news is strange and astonishing.

“The IGP has however directed the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Force Legal Unit to investigate the allegation in a bid to ascertain the position of the court and proffer informed legal advice for the IGP’s prompt and necessary action.

“The Inspector-General of Police reiterates his commitment to upholding the rule of law and synergizing with the judiciary to ensure quick dispensation of justice for an improved criminal justice system.”

Obey before complaining- HURIWA

Meanwhile, the Rights group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Tuesday called on the IGP to obey without delay the Court order sentencing him to three months in prison and surrender himself to the Kuje correctional center, according to TheGuardian.

HURIWA said the IGP should not treat the order with contempt.

“We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to personally supervise the surrender of the IGP to the Federal Correctional Centre, Kuje, without any waste of time. Anything outside of strict compliance with this order will mean Nigeria has become a banana republic.

“HURIWA is, therefore, counseling the IGP to obey before complaining, by complying with the judgment or getting a stay of execution order quickly.,” the group noted.  

In a judgment delivered on October 21, 2011, Justice Okorowo gave an order compelling the IGP to do his duty according to law and to comply with the orders of the Police Service Commission, PSC, which directed him among others to reinstate Okoli and present the IGP's recommendation for Okoli's promotion from 2013 till date for the PSC's recommendation.

The ruling was not complied with, prompting Okoli’s counsel to file another suit before Justice Olajuwon, praying the court to convict and sentence the IGP for failing to obey the court decision earlier delivered by Justice Okoronwo.

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