The Abuja Federal High Court has set aside its November 29, 2022 order, committing the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba to prison for contempt.
Justice Bolaji Olajuwon, while delivering her ruling on Wednesday, held that there was evidence before the court that the IGP has complied with the court’s earlier order, directing the reinstatement of Patrick Okoli, who was compulsorily retired as a police officer.
She set aside the earlier order, given the compliance with the order of the court, and the assurance of ensuring full compliance with reinstating Okoli.
Justice Olajuwon held that given the development, the application by the IGP, seeking the vacation of the committal order, is worthy of sympathetic consideration.
The trial judge had on November 29 convicted the IGP and sentenced him to a three-month jail term, for failing to obey the October 21, 2011 judgment of the Federal High Court, reinstating Okoli.
Okoli was compulsorily retired in 1992, while serving in the Bauchi State Command, as a Chief Superintendent of Police, (CSP), by the Police Council, now known as the Police Service Commission, which claimed to have acted under Decree 17 of 1984, a decision the court voided in the October 2011 judgment.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
