IGP tells court to set aside 3-month jail sentence

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, says he has approached a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and filed a motion to set aside the contempt proceeding and committal order against him.

Recall that the IGP was sentenced to three months jail term for court contempt.

But in a motion filed on Thursday, Baba highlighted extensively grounds why the orders should be set aside.

He said he had received a proper legal advice from the Commissioner of Police in charge of the force legal unit.

The force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement Friday morning, said the top cop explained that he had not been appointed into office as IGP when the case was instituted and the reinstatement order in question granted.

He also argued that the contempt proceedings were served via substituted means in November 2018 and January, 2019 respectively, on the then Inspector-General of Police, and not on him as the incumbent.

“The IGP in his disposition further noted that even before his assumption of Office, official steps had been taken by his predecessors toward complying with the reinstatement of Patrick C. Okoli, the plaintiff, as ordered by the Court”, the statement said.

“As noted by him, this was evidenced by an official letter addressed to the Police Service Commission on the approval of the then Inspector General of Police, as far back as 2015, and before the court order of November 29th, 2022, requesting the Commission to issue a reinstatement letter to the plaintiff and also effect his promotion in line with the order of the Court and in the exercise of their statutory authority in that regard.

“Hence, the grounds for the contempt proceedings ought not to have existed, ab initio. The IGP reassures Nigerians of his unalloyed commitment and steadfastness in defending the rule of law and respecting judicial authorities and hence, will not wittingly or unwittingly disobey any order validly granted by courts of competent jurisdiction.”