A federal high court in Abuja has jailed the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali-Baba, for failure to comply with a valid order of the court issued in October 2011.
This followed an application by Patrick Okoli, before the court to challenge his unlawful and compulsory retirement from the Nigeria Police Force.
Justice M.O Olajuwon, handed the sentence to the IGP on Tuesday, November 29.
Justice M. O. Olajuwon held that the IGP should be committed to prison and detained in custody for a period of three months or until he obeys an order it made on October 21, 2011.
“If at the end of the three months, the contemnor remains recalcitrant and still refuses to purge his contempt, he shall be committed for another period and until he purges his contempt,” the court held.
Justice Olajuwon recalled that though the Police Service Commission (PSC) had recommended Okoli’s reinstatement into the Force, a decision that was also affirmed by the court, but the IGP refused to comply with the order.
The court had also ordered the payment of N10m to the applicant, being special and general damages for the unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional denial of his rights and privileges as a Senior Officer of the Nigeria Police Force from 1993 till date.
