The Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector-General of Police, to three months in prison on Tuesday for disregarding a valid court order.
The judgment made by Justice M. O. Olajuwon stated that the IGP should be put to prison and maintained in custody for three months, until he obeys an order 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.
Mr. Patrick Okoli, a police officer who had been wrongfully and involuntarily retired from the Nigerian Police Force, brought an action that led to the IGP’s committal.
Even though the court upheld the Police Service Commission’s (PSC) recommendation to reinstate Okoli into the Police, Justice Olajuwon pointed out that the IGP had refused to follow the ruling.
The court further ordered N10 million in special and general damages to be paid to the Applicant for the violation of his rights and privileges as a Senior Officer in the Nigeria Police Force from 1993 till date.
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