The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), has announced that it is not aware of any court order to reinstate a dismissed officer following the sentencing of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), for contempt.
On Tuesday, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Coury, Abuja, sentenced the IGP, Usman Baba, to three months in prison for disobeying a court order to reinstate former police officer, Patrick Okoli.
Patrick Okoli has filed a suit claiming he was unlawfully and compulsorily retired from the Police Force.
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The former police officer was forcefully retired in June 1992 and he challenged his retirement at Bauchi High Court on February 19, 1994.
The court then ordered that Okoli be reinstated with all rights and privileges.
Okolie also went on to the Abuja Federal High Court to seek an order of mandamus to compel the enforcement of the order of the Bauchi High Court and the court delivered judgment in his favor on October 21, 2011.
However, Okolie was never reinstated neither were his privileges and rights returned to him.
The Nigeria Police Force, however, claims that the police are not aware of the court order stating that the IGP would never disregard a court ruling.
The force announced this in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejoba, on Tuesday.
The statement reads, “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, with respect to 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 lGP joined the Nigeria Police Force, based on available facts gleaned from the reports.
“The most recent judgement 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 profer 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.”
