The Nigeria Police Force has said that Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba did not disregard the court order or the rule of law as his office is not aware of any court order.
The reaction follows a recent order by a federal high court in Abuja, which sentenced the IGP to 3 months in prison for disobeying a court order.
This was announced in a statement issued by the Force’s Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, hours after Judge Mobolaji Olajuwon issued the order.
Adejobi, in the statement, said that the IGP has directed the Police Commissioner in charge of the Force’s Legal Unit to investigate the allegation and provide him with informed legal advice on the warrant for the necessary action.
The NPF position: Adejobi’s statement on behalf of the Nigerian Police reads:
- ”The Nigerian Police Force wishes to state emphatically that the Office of Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, PSC (+), NPM, NEAPS, FDC, CFR, did not disregard the court order or the status of law as the The office is not aware of any court order, during the IGP’s current tenure, regarding a matter circulating in the media that the IGP disobeyed a court order for the reinstatement of a fired officer from the Force.
- “It is instructive to note that the case in question concerns an officer who was dismissed as early as 1992, a few years after the current IGP joined the Nigerian Police Force, according to the available data drawn from the reports.
- “The most recent ruling on the matter was handed down in 2011, which normally should not be under the direct purview of the current Force administration. Therefore, the news is strange and surprising.
- “However, the IGP has directed the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Force Legal Unit to investigate the allegation in an attempt to ascertain the position of the court and provide informed legal advice for the prompt and necessary action of the IGP.
- “The Inspector General of Police reiterates his commitment to uphold the rule of law and to work in synergy with the judiciary to ensure a prompt administration of justice for an improved criminal justice system.”
For the record: Recall that earlier in the day, Judge Mobolaji Olajuwon of a federal high court in Abuja sentenced Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, to 3 months in prison for disobeying a court order.
The order, which was given by the judge, followed a lawsuit filed by a former police officer, Patrick Okoli, who claimed he was illegally and forcibly removed from the Nigerian Police Force.
Okoli had contested his forced retirement from the Nigeria Police Force and a judgment was entered in his favor on 19 February 1992 in which the court struck down the compulsory retirement letter.
Subsequently, the applicant filed a lawsuit marked as FHC/ABJ/CS/637/2009 in the Abuja Federal High Court seeking a writ of mandamus to enforce the execution of the Bauchi High Court order and PSC directives. .
The Abuja Federal High Court rendered judgment in favor of the applicant on October 21, 2011.
The IGP office appealed the court ruling but the appeal was dismissed.
The applicant took additional steps to enforce the order, including approaching the Federal House of Representatives, which then wrote to the IGP’s office.
After the efforts failed, the applicant approached the Festus Keyamo law firm to initiate commitment proceedings against the defendant.