A National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the
arrest of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Usman Alkali, and the Force
Secretary, AIG Hafeez Inuwa, for disobeying the court order, which was regarded
as contempt.
The court had earlier ordered the IG to reinstate some
police officers, who are graduates of Courses 33, 34 and 35 of the police
academy, who were said to have been forcefully retired by the force, but the
court order was allegedly not obeyed by the IG.
The aggrieved officers approached the court and sought an
order to nullify their compulsory retirement from the service by the IG. The
court, presided over by Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi, then ordered that the IG, the
Police Service Commission, and the Force Secretary of the Police reinstate the
forcefully retired officers.
However, since April 19, 2022, when the judgement was delivered, the IGP and other defendants have yet to obey the court order.
In a recent order given by the court on June 8, 2023, a copy
of which was made available to our correspondent on Tuesday, Justice Oyewumi
berated the IG for the latter’s refusal to obey the court despite advice from
the relevant stakeholders in the police force.
The court order read, “It is on record of this court that
the court delivered a judgement in this case on 19/4/2022 and ordered that the
judgement creditors/applicants should be reinstated forthwith. It is on record
of this court also that the Police Service Commission, the statutory body that
is vested with the power to appoint, promote and discipline the judgement
creditors/applicants had ordered the Inspector General of Police to comply with
the judgement of this court.
“It is equally
noteworthy that the CP, Legal, the Head of Department of the Nigerian Police
Force had also issued a legal advice urging the Inspector General of Police to
comply with the order of this court vide a letter dated and the Inspector
General of Police received it on 27/7/2022 yet he has refused to obey or comply
with the judgement of this court.
“This is an officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who
swore on oath to uphold the rule of law and same law he has now failed or
refused to obey. It is also of importance to state that this court has given
ample opportunities to him and the Force Secretary to appear before this court
and show cause why they are not to be held to be in contempt of this court, the
record of the court evinces that they have both been served the enrolment of
order of this court severally yet they both deem it fit to flout the order of
this court and desecrated this hallowed chamber and temple of justice.
“Justice is not only for the affluent, it is indeed for the
poor and vulnerable also. I pause to say that I wonder what type of head of an
enforcement agency like the police, the Inspector General of Police is, if he
finds it so difficult or so difficult it seems for him to obey a simple order
of court. I also wonder the type of example he is laying for his officers if he
as the head of the Nigerian Police Force has chosen/ elected to flagrantly take
the law into his advised by the Police Service Commission and his own officer,
the CP, Legal to comply. This I must say is preposterous and appalling.
“It is in the light of all stated which are in sync with the
record of this court that I hold the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali
Baba and the Force Secretary, AIG Hafeez Inuwa for being in contempt of this
court, they are to be arrested and be produced before this Court for necessary
action.”
The court adjourned the case until October 9, 2023.
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