IGP challenges order to imprison him, says he didn’t flout court judgment

Usman Baba, the inspector-general of police (IGP), has filed a motion to challenge an order committing him to prison for contempt.

A federal high court in Abuja had on Tuesday sentenced the IGP to three months in prison for disobeying a court order.

Mobolaji Olajuwon, the presiding judge, issued the ruling following a suit filed by Patrick Okoli, a former police officer, who claims he was unlawfully and compulsorily retired from the Nigerian police force.

In a statement on Friday, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, force public relations officer, said the IGP has filed a motion seeking an order to set aside the contempt proceedings and committal order on the grounds that he had not been appointed into office as IGP when the case was instituted.

He said the motion also stated that processes for the contempt proceedings were served via substituted means in November 2018, and January 2019, respectively, on the former IGP — and not on him as the incumbent.

He said official steps were taken by his predecessors to comply with the reinstatement order of the plaintiff.

“This was evidenced by an official letter addressed to the Police Service Commission, on the approval of the then IG, as far back as 2015, before the court order of November 29, 2022,” the statement read.

“The then IG requested the commission to issue a reinstatement letter to the plaintiff, and effect his promotion, in line with the order of the court in the exercise of its statutory authority.

“The grounds for the contempt proceedings ought not to have existed.”