Court sentences IGP to 3 months in prison for contempt

From Molly Kilete, Abuja 

A Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, committed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Usman Baba, to a three-month imprisonment over alleged refusal to obey a sister court judgment reinstating a police officer, Patrick Okoli, who was compulsorily retired back to work.

However, the IGP said he was not aware of any court order for him to reinstate Okoli.

Justice Bolaji Olajuwon, in a ruling on the contempt proceedings filed by Okoli’s lawyer, Arinze Egbo, also warned Baba against non-compliance with the earlier court judgment. He warned that if the I-G failed to purge himself of the contempt, he shall be liable to another three months jail-term.

Okoli, in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/637/2009, had sued the I-G as a sole respondent in the matter.

The plaintiff, who prayed the court to order for his reinstatement, said he was unlawfully retired in 1992 by the Police Council, presently known as Police Service Commission (PSC), while serving in Bauchi State Command as a chief Superintendent of police, among others. He said his compulsory retirement, under Decree 17 of 1984, was illegal.

Justice Okorowo, in a judgment delivered on October 21, 2011, gave an order of mandamus compelling the respondent (I-G) to do his duty according to law.

He directed the I-G to comply with the orders of the PSC, as contained in their letter of May 5, 2009 (with Ref. No. PSC/CSP/01/11/295A), directing him to reinstate Okoli into the Nigeria Police Force