Alleged Contempt: Court Orders Arrest Of IGP

• The National Industrial Court has arrested Inspector General of Police, Mr Usman Alkali, and Force Secretary, AIG Hafeez Inuwa.

• The order was made for disobeying a court order reinstating police officers.

• The officers complained that the order was not obeyed since April 19, 2022. The case is adjourned to October 9, 2023.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the National Industrial Court has issued an order for the arrest of Inspector General of Police, Mr Usman Alkali, and the Force Secretary, AIG Hafeez Inuwa, due to their failure to comply with a court order reinstating certain police officers who had completed Course 33, 34, and 35 of the police academy.

The court considered the actions of the IGP to be contemptuous.

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The affected officers had approached Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi’s court to complain that the order had not been followed by the IGP. They claimed that since April 19, 2022, when the judgment was delivered, the IGP and other defendants had failed to comply with the court’s order.

Justice Oyewumi, in a copy of the court order provided to journalists in Akure, criticized the IGP for disregarding the court’s order despite advice from relevant stakeholders in the police force.

The court order states, “It is evident that this court delivered a judgment in this case on 19/4/2022, instructing the judgment creditors/applicants to be reinstated immediately. It is also evident that the Police Service Commission, the statutory body responsible for appointing, promoting, and disciplining the judgment creditors/applicants, had ordered the Inspector General of Police to comply with the court’s judgment.”

“The CP, Legal, the Head of the Department of the Nigerian Police Force, also issued a legal advice urging the Inspector General of Police to comply with the court’s order via a letter dated [date], and the Inspector General of Police received it on 27/7/2022. Yet, he has refused to obey or comply with the judgment of this court.”

“This is an officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who took an oath to uphold the rule of law, yet he has failed or refused to obey the same law. It is important to note that this court has given them ample opportunities to appear and explain why they should not be held in contempt, but they have continuously flouted the court’s order and disrespected this sacred chamber of justice.”

“Justice is not only for the privileged; it is also for the poor and vulnerable. I am compelled to question the type of leader the Inspector General of Police is if he finds it so difficult to obey a simple court order. I also question the example he is setting for his officers by blatantly disregarding the advice of the Police Service Commission and his own officer, the CP, Legal, to comply. This behavior is unacceptable and disgraceful.”

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“Based on the aforementioned facts, in line with the court’s records, I hold Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba and Force Secretary AIG Hafeez Inuwa in contempt of this court. They are to be arrested and produced before this court for appropriate action.”

The case has been adjourned to October 9, 2023.

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