The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to file a motion to vacate a contempt order against him.

The lower court had issued a three months imprisonment committal order on the IGP on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, over the refusal of the Nigerian Police to reinstate a Dismissed officer.

“In the motion filed before the Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory on Thursday, December 1, 2022, the IGP extensively highlighted grounds why the orders should be set aside, including noting that he had not been appointed into office as Inspector-General of Police when the case was instituted and the reinstatement order in question granted,” Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi was quoted by Nigerian Cable News to have stated this in a release on Friday,

According to Adejobi, Baba also affirmed that 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.

The IGP, in his disposition, further noted that even before he assumed office, official steps had been taken by his predecessors toward complying with the reinstatement of Patrick Okoli, the plaintiff, as ordered by the court.

Adejobi said, “As noted by him, this was evidenced by an official letter addressed to the Police Service Commission on the approval of the then IGP, as far back as 2015, and before the court order of November 29, 2022, requesting the Commission to issue a reinstatement letter to the plaintiff and also affect his promotion in line with the order of the court and in the exercise of their statutory authority in that regard. Hence, the grounds for the contempt proceedings ought not to have existed ab initio.

“The IGP reassures Nigerians of his unalloyed commitment and steadfastness in defending the rule of law and respecting judicial authorities and hence, will not wittingly or unwittingly disobey any order validly granted by courts of competent jurisdiction.”