The court judgement committing the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to prison for contempt, has been vacated by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Recall that Justice Bolaji Olajuwon sentenced the IGP to three months in prison for failing to obey the October 21, 2011 judgment of the Federal High Court directing the reinstatement of an officer, Patrick Okoli, who was compulsorily retired.
Okoli was compulsorily retired in 1992 while serving in the Bauchi State Command as a Chief Superintendent of Police by the Police Council (now Police Service Commission) which claimed to have acted under Decree 17 of 1984, a decision the court voided in the October 2011 judgment.
Ruling on the case on Wednesday, December 14, Justice Bolaji Olajuwon said the application by the IGP seeking the vacation of the committal order is worthy of sympathetic consideration as there was evidence before her court that the IGP has substantially complied with the court’s earlier order directing the reinstatement of Okoli.
Olajuwon said;
“In view of the substantial compliance with the order of the court and the assurance of ensuring full compliance, the order commuting the applicant, IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, is hereby set aside.”
