PBA ReporterA Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, to three months in prison over contempt of court.
Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Abuja High court on Tuesday gave the verdict while ruling on a suit filed by a former police officer, Patrick Okoli, who claimed he was unlawfully retired from the Nigeria Police Force.
The court also ordered the payment of N10 million 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.
The IGP was sentenced to prison for disobeying a court order made in October 2011.
Justice Olajuwon stated that the Police Service Commission had recommended Okoli’s reinstatement into the Police Force, a decision that was affirmed by the court, but the IGP’s office refused to comply with the order.
The judge held that the police chief should be detained until his office obeys the order, adding that “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.”
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