Why court sentence IGP to three months in prison

One Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday sentence di Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba to three months for prison sake of say e disobey court order.

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon bin deliver di rulling following one suit wey one former police officer, Patrick Okoli wey claim say e dey unlawfully and compulsorily retired from di Nigeria Police Force.

Di court bin rule say make di IGP dey committed to prison and detain am for custody for one period of three months, or until e obey one order wey dem make since 21 October, 2011.

“If for di end of di three months, di contemnor remain recalcitrant and still refuse to purge im contempt, make im dey committed for anoda period and until e purge im contempt”, di court hold.

Justice Olajuwon bin note say though di Police Service Commission, PSC, bin recommend Okoli reinstatement into di Police, one decision wey di court confam, say di IGP, no comply wit di order.

Di court also order payment of N10million to di applicant, as special and general damages for di unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional denial of im rights and privileges as Senior Officer of di Nigeria Police Force from 1993 till date.

For di affidavits wey back di suit, Oga Okoli bin dey forcefully retired for June 1992.

E bin challenge di forceful retirement, for Bauchi High Court on February 19, 1994.

Di court deliver judgment to favour di applicant and cancel di letter of compulsory retirement.

Di high court also order make dem reinstate di applicant wit all rights and privileges.

Di Police Service Commission (PSC) for one letter for 13 October, 2004, bin direct di IGP den to reinstate di applicant and issue one recommendation for promotion according to wetin di court decide.

Afta den, Oga Okoli bin organise one suit FHC/ABJ/CS/637/2009 for di Federal High Court Abuja wey dey ask for order of mandamus to force dem to enforce di order of di Bauchi High Court and di directives of di PSC.

Di Federal High Court for Abuja bin deliver di judgment in favour of di applicant for 21October , 2011.

Di office of di IGP bin appeal di court judgment but di appeal dey dismissed.

We no dey aware of di court order - Police

Di Nigeria Police Force don respond say di office of di Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba no disregard Court Order or rule of law.

For statement, police say di office no dey aware of any Court Order, during di current IGP tenure.

Dem say dia response na sake of one matter wey dey go round say di IGP disobey one Court Order say make dem reinstate one dismissed officer of di Force.

Police say e dey useful make pipo sabi say di matter concern one officer wey chop dismiss as far back as 1992, few years afta di current IGP join di Nigeria Police Force.

Dem add say dis one na based on available facts from di reports.

Police say di most recent judgement on di matter dey given for 2011 wey suppose ordinarily no fall under di current administration of di Force. Sake of dis, di news dey strange and surprising.

Di statement say di IGP don however direct di Commissioner of Police in charge of di Force Legal Unit to investigate di allegation so dem go fit sabi di position of di court and carry out informed legal advice for di IGP quick and necessary action.

Similar case bin shelle for early November, Federal High court for Abuja bin convict di oga of di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa for contempt.

Di rulling bin cause plenti reactions.

Di court direct make dem lock Oga Bawa for di Kuje correctional facility, for di Nigerian capital, Abuja. Pending wen dem obey one court order wey say make di commission return one range rover and di sum of of N40 million naira.

 EFCC say dem don return di vehicle but di moni still dey dia hand.

 Justice Chizoba Oji wey give di judgement also direct di Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to make sure say im execute di order of di court sharp sharp.