We Will Investigate Claims By IGP Baba That An Ex-IGP In 2015 Directed Us To Reinstate Patrick C. Okoli, Says Police Service Commission
The Police Service Commission said on Friday that it would investigate claims by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, that a former IGP, in 2015, directed it to reinstate the Okoli, the Punch reports.
The spokesperson for the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said, “We will investigate this. We’ll check our archives and talk to the promotions department at the PSC to confirm whether a letter of reinstatement was written to the PSC by the former IG. I can’t confirm it now, because it’s a long time ago, and we’ve had several PSC chairmen and staff members since then, hence, we need to confirm from our records.”
Meanwhile, senior lawyers have commended the judiciary over their recent ruling against law-enforcement agencies in Nigeria.
The High Court sitting in Minna, Niger State, had issued a warrant of arrest for the Chief of Army Staff, General Faruk Yahaya, for contempt. Also, a warrant of arrest was issued against the Commandant of the Training and Doctrine Command, Minna, Major General Olugbenga Olabanji, over the same offence.
But a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ifedapo Adedipe, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, said it was shameful that law enforcers had become lawbreakers. Adedipe noted that the brazen disregard for court orders by law enforcers was an indication of the degree of lawlessness in society.
He said, “Law enforcement agencies and their officers don’t have the right to disobey court orders. When they disagree, then they should appeal the judgement. We need to move away from the era of impunity by law enforcement agencies to obedience to the law.”
Also reacting, a lawyer, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), condemned the serial disregard for court orders.
“There is no one that is above the law by virtue of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is the duty of the judiciary to interpret the law to apply it. So when the judiciary has determined a case, every institution is obliged, even the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to carry out such a decision of the court.
“If an order is not carried out, it becomes a question on the integrity of the President himself because the President is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. And if an officer under the President is misbehaving or conducting himself recklessly as regards the laws of the land, it means that the government of President Muhammad Buhari is lawless,” he added.
