Inspector-general of police (IGP) Usman Baba has filed a motion before a Federal High Court in Abuja over the court’s contempt proceedings and committal order made against him.
The court on Tuesday sentenced Baba to three months in prison for disobeying a valid court order.
Justice M. O. Olajuwon held that the IGP should be committed to prison until he obeyed an order it made since October 21, 2011 to reinstate Patrick Okoli, who was unlawfully and compulsorily retired from the Force.
The court also ordered payment of N10 million to the applicant, being special and general damage 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.
However, spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force Olumuyiwa Adejobi said in a statement on Friday that Baba filed a motion to seek an order to set aside the contempt proceedings and committal order.
He said the grounds for the motion was that he had not been appointed into office as IGP when the case was instituted.
Baba also affirmed that the contempt proceedings were served via substituted means in November 2018 and January 2019 respectively on the then IGP.
He said official steps were taken before his assumption of office, by his predecessors to comply with the reinstatement order of the plaintiff Okoli.
“This was evidenced by an official letter addressed to the Police Service Commission, on the approval of the then I-G, as far back as 2015, before the court order of November 29, 2022.
“The then I-G requested the commission to issue a reinstatement letter to the plaintiff, and effect his promotion, in line with the order of the Court in the exercise of its statutory authority,” the statement added.
