The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has set aside its order committing Inspector General of Police Usman Baba to three-month imprisonment for contempt.

In a ruling on Wednesday, Justice Bolaji Olajuwon said there was evidence before the court that the IGP had substantially complied with the court’s earlier order directing the reinstatement of Patrick Okoli, who was compulsorily retired as a police officer.

Ms Olajuwon, therefore, agreed with the submission of counsel to the IGP, Simon Lough (SAN), praying the court to void the November 29 committal order.

The judge consequently declared that given the development, the application by Mr Baba “is worthy of sympathetic consideration.”

“In view of the substantial compliance with the order of the court and the assurance of ensuring full compliance, the order committing the applicant, inspector general of police, Usman Alkali Baba, is hereby set aside,” she ruled.

Ms Olajuwon had, on November 29, convicted Mr Baba and sentenced him to a three-month jail term for failing to obey the October 21, 2011, judgment of a sister court presided over by Justice Donatus Okorowo, reinstating Mr Okoli.

Mr Okoli was compulsorily retired in 1992 while serving in the Bauchi command as a chief superintendent of police by the Police Council (now Police Service Commission (PSC), which claimed to have acted under Decree 17 of 1984, a decision the court voided in the October 2011 judgment.

(NAN)