Just In: IGP Usman Alkali Baba Finally Takes Action over Court Order Sending Him to 3 Months in Prison

• The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has asked the court to set aside the order sending him to prison
• A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on Tuesday, November 29, sent the IGP to three months in prison for contempt
• The police chief has, however, filed a motion before the Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, highlighting reasons why the order should be set aside

FCT, Abuja - The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to file a motion to set aside the contempt proceeding and committal order issued against him.

Recall that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, November 29, sent the IGP to three months in prison over his disobedience to a valid court order.

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Justice M.O Olajuwon ruled that the police chief should be committed to prison and detained in custody for three months or until he adheres to an order that the court gave on October 21, 2011.

The order had asked the IGP to reinstate a police officer who was wrongly dismissed in 1992.

In his preliminary reaction, IGP Alkali Baba disagreed with the court, saying he did not disobey any order. The police chief added that the case in point started well before he became the IGP.

Why the order sending me to prison should be set aside, IGP Alkali Baba reveals

In the motion filed before the Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory on Thursday, December 1, the IGP highlighted grounds why the orders should be set aside, Vanguard reported.

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Among others, he noted that he had not been appointed into office as the IGP when the case was instituted and the reinstatement order in question granted.

The police chief also said the contempt proceedings were served via substituted means in November 2018 and January 2019, respectively, on the then IGP and not on him as the incumbent, according to a statement by police spokesman CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

Steps taken by my predecessor to comply with the court order - Alkali Baba

IGP Alkali Baba also noted that his predecessors have taken official steps to comply with the court order which reinstated the police officer named Patrick C. Okoli.

He said an official letter had been sent to the Police Service Commission on the approval of the then IGP as far back as 2015.

The letter, according to Alkali Baba, requested the commission to issue a reinstatement letter to Oko and also effect his promotion in line with the order of the court.

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Based on the steps highlighted, the IGP said the "grounds for the contempt proceedings ought not to have existed, ab initio."

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In another report, the IGP has said no governor will be allowed to prevent opposition political parties from holding rallies in their states.

The police chief spoke on Wednesday, November 30, at the 2022 political parties summit in Abuja.

Represented by Dandaura Mustapha, deputy inspector-general of police (DIG) operations, the IGP said state commissioners had been directed to ensure that all parties are given an opportunity to campaign.

Source: Legit.ng