Some retired police officers have asked the National Industrial Court (NICN) to commit the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, to prison for contempt of court.

This is contained in a statement issued by one of the aggrieved officers, Emmanuel Idris, on behalf of other concerned officers in Akure on Tuesday.

The police officers, through their counsel, Godwin Okoro, asked the IGP, the Police Service Commission (PSC), and the Force Secretary to explain why they should not be committed to prison for their refusal to obey a court order that reinstated the officers who were forcefully retired from service when they have not spent 35 years in service or attained 60 years of age.

The Industrial Court, presided by Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi, had, in suit No. NICN/ABJ/281/2021, filed by Egong Egwu Egong, Omeh Felix Okechukwu, Paul Obot Umoh, and Galadima Bello, asked the IGP, PSC, and the secretary of the police force, to reinstate the officers who were forcefully retired from office.

The police officers had, through their counsel, approached the National Industrial Court, seeking an order to nullify their retirement from service by the Nigeria Police Force and PSC.

The court, consequently, restrained the defendants, the IGP, the PSC, and the Secretary of the Nigeria Police Force from retiring the officers compulsorily.

However, since April 19, 2022, when the judgement was delivered, the IGP and other defendants were yet to obey the court order reinstating the officers who joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1996, 1999, and 2000.

In form 87 filed by the retired police officers, they asked the IGP and other defendants to appear in person to show cause why an order for their committal should not be made for disobedience of the order reinstating officers of courses 33, 34, and 35, who graduated from police academy between 1996 and 2000.

A copy of the letter, addressed to the IGP and signed by the court registrar, Zainab Ahmed, and dated January 23, 2023, warned the IGP and other defendants against disobeying the court judgement or face the consequences – imprisonment.

“Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in the Certificate of Judgement of Court, dated the 19th day of April 2022, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison,” the letter read.

(NAN)