Nigeria Police Chief Usman Baba sentenced to three months in jail

Nigeria’s Federal High Court has sentenced the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to three months in prison for flouting a 2011 court order.

According to local media reports, the IGP’s sentence followed a suit that was filed by a police officer, Patrick Okoli, who was unlawfully and compulsorily retired from the Nigerian 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 (Patrick’s) rights and privileges as a Senior Officer of the Nigeria Police Force from 1993 till date.

In a ruling delivered on Tuesday (November 29) Justice M. O. Olajuwon, held that the police chief should be committed to prison and detained in custody for a period of three months, or until his office obeys an order made by the court since October 21, 2011

Olajuwon noted that though the Police Service Commission recommended Okoli’s reinstatement into the NPF, a decision that was affirmed by the court, the IGP’s office, refused to comply with the order.

Olajuwon said, “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 punchng quoted in a report.

The force is yet to respond to the sentence.