The National Industrial Court in Abuja has threatened to jail the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman over what it says is his persistent disobedience to orders of the court.
The court while issuing an enrolled order, held that the IGP’s action to the rule of law is an affront to the 1999 constitution.
Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi, gave the IGP a May 2 deadline to appear before it and purge himself of contempt of court charges or be committed to prison in line with the provisions of the law.
The action of the court followed a suit instituted by four senior ranked police officers from course 33, 34, and 35 who say they were compulsorily and unlawfully retired from service.
The court had in a judgment nullified the premature retirement of the senior police officers, about 20 in number, and ordered the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission to immediately reinstate them.
However, the Police chief and the Force Secretary who are key defendants in the legal action were said to have refused to comply with the reinstatement order of the court, prompting Edwin Okoro, counsel for the aggrieved plaintiffs, to report the violation of the court order by the IGP to the Industrial Court.
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Justice Oyewumi in the enrolled order held that the Inspector General of Police and the Force Secretary have flouted the order of the court made on February 27, 2023 to appear before it and show why they should not be held in contempt for their disobedience to the decision of the court, even when their legal department had issued legal advice urging the IGP to comply with the decision of the court.
The claimants in the suits are CSP Egwu Egong, CSP Omeh Okexhukwu, CSP Paul Umoh, SP Galadima Bello, For themselves and representing all members of Course 33, 34 & 35 (Force Entrants) of the Police Academy, while the respondents are Police Service Commission, Inspector General Of Police, and Force Secretary, Nigeria Police Force.
(Editor: Oloyede Oworu)
