Alleged court contempt: Judge threatens to jail IGP, Alkali Baba

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

The National Industrial court in Abuja, has threatened to jail the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alkali Baba Usman, over his continues disobedience to order of the court.

This is coming, sequel to a suit brought by four senior rank police officers from course 33, 34 and 35, who were compulsorily and unlawfuly retired from police.

The court, Thursday, in it’s enrolled order issued and endorsed by Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi, gave the IGP, May 2, to appear before it and purge himself of contempt of court or be committed to prison in line with the provisions of the law.

The court held that the IGP’s action contravenes 1999 Constitution and a slap to the rule of law as a top rank officer of the federal government.

According to the enrolled order, the IGP, no matter his rank, is not above the law and would be made to respect the law when he acts as someone above the law.

The plaintiffs are Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs) Egong

Egwu Egong, Omeh Felix Okechukwu. Paul Obot Umoh and Superintendent of Police (SP) Galadima Bello, who sued the IGP on behalf of themselves and affected members of Course 33, 34 and 35 who were compulsorily retired from service prematurely.

In a judgment in the suit marked NICN/ABJ/21/M/2023, the court had nullified the premature retirement of the senior police officers numbering about 20 and ordered the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission to immediately reinstate them.

However, the Police Chief and the Force Secretary who are the key defendants in the legal action argued by Edwin Okoro on behalf of the retired police officers, were said to have bluntly refused to comply with the reinstatement order of the court.

The legal advice of the legal department of the Force Headquarters advising the IGP to comply with the order of the court was also said to have been rebuffed.

This prompted Edwin Okoro, counsel to the aggrieved plaintiffs, to report the violation of court order by IGP to the Industrial Court for remedy.

Justice Oyewumi in the enrolled order held “it is evidently clear that the respondents, the Inspector General of Police and the Force Secretary have flouted the order of this court made on February 27, 2023 to appear before the court to show course why they should not be held in contempt of this court for their flagrant disobedience to the decision of the court even when their legal department had issued legal advice urging the IGP to comply with the decision of the court.”

“It has become the attitude of government officials which include Nigeria Police Force to persistently flout or disobey orders of the court as if they are living outside of this nation or above the provision of the 1999 Constitution which operates as a guide to curb action and Inactions of the State in the country and it’s operators.”

“The same Constitution has given courts in this clime, including this court, the inherent power to enforce the constitutional provisions dito rule of law, against authorities and the people in the State called Nigeria.”

“A situation where the courts are degraded by disobedience to their orders would engender danger to the rule of law and God forbid that this clime will become like the proverbial Banana Republic.”

“God forbid that and I say that again”.

“The excuse put forward by the respondent counsel is verbose and same is lacking in merit”.

“It is in view of that that I discountenace the excuse, except the reason put forth respecting the Inspector General of Police”.

“I emphatically disregard the excuse respecting the Force Secretary, Assistant Inspector General of Police Hafiz Inuwa”.

“It is in view of this that before I proceed to hold them for contempt of this court, I give both the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba and the Force Secretary, Assistant Inspector General of Police AIG, Hafiz Inuwa, the second chance of appearing before this court to show cause why this court should not proceed to find them guilty of being in contempt of this court.”

Justice Oyewumi fixed May 2, 2023 for the Inspector General of Police and the Force Secretary to appear before the court.

R-L; President Muhammadu Buhari, ChairmanCode of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, Yakubu, Justice Williams Atedze, Mrs. Julie Anabor and Chief Registrar, Barris Abdulmalik Shuaibu during an audience with the Management of Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) held at the State House yesterday in Abuja.

Traditional, religious leaders appeal for establishment, equipping PHCs

Traditional and religious leaders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have appealed to government at all levels and philanthropists to establish and equip Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in their domains.

The leaders made the call on Wednesday at a stakeholders workshop on funding mechanism organised by the FCT Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunisation and Nutrition (ACOMIN) in Abuja.

They noted that their appeal, if addressed, would cater for the treatment of AIDs, TB and Malaria (ATM), among other diseases in the country.

Mr Abubakar Bako, the Secretary, Gbazango Traditional Community, Kubwa, FCT, said such meetings would enlighten participants on ways to resolve challenges affecting them.

He said that it would also ensure an improved access to social amenities for community members.

He said: “We have had so many challenges with no healthcare centres in our community, but have to go to the general hospital, which is far from us.

“And we have also lost so many people due to inability to access healthcare services for timely treatment.

“But through such advocacy programmes and sensitisation, we learnt that we can also have our PHCs in our communities.”

The traditional leader stressed the need for community members to ensure participation and monitoring of projects to ensure sustainability.

“My advise to other communities is to key into such programmes to enable them know and learn more from other communities that already have existing hospitals and PHCs.

“This will enable them know better and also have theirs. We are therefore appealing to government to provide basic social amenities that would improve our livelihood,” he added.

Also speaking, Mr Julius

Ibecheole, ACOMIN FCT Focal person, said the workshop would access the level of engagement, which was part of the processes needed in the submission of the application for the grant cycle seven for Nigeria as it pertains to the CSOs component.

Ibecheole said that the process of soliciting and receiving global grants before now had not been this participatory and involving wide consultations.

He explained that a change in approach by the global fund demands that community stakeholders being their duties, CBOs should make meaningful inputs towards it.

“We will submit so that the global fund itself will see that this process was actually all encompassing in the participation of every key stakeholder.

“And by way of making their own inputs known contribute to the final document that will be sent out.

“Some of those findings, like the need for proper case management, malaria intervention, need for scaling up prevention and environmental management components to be really focused.

“So, going forward in the next round, we want to see more community ownership, while we also do not want to see the government renege in its core obligations,” he said.

Ibecheole also called on government at all levels to ensure that PHCs nationwide were fully equipped to improve healthcare services in the country.

“We know that the National Primary Health Care Agency has very beautiful plans to ensure that the 774 LGAs have PHCs that are well structured, equipped in terms of tools, machines and also manpower.

“We want to see that happen in the coming years and on our part as CSOs, we shall follow up on advocacy,” he said.

Other participants at the workshop were religious and traditional leaders, CSOs and the media. (NAN)