Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector-General of Police, was given a three-month prison term on Tuesday by the Federal High Court in Abuja for disobeying a legitimate court order.
The IGP shall be detained for three months or until he complies with the court's direction, according to a judgement rendered by Justice M. O. Olajuwon on October 21, 2011.
The court ruled that "the contemnor shall be committed for another period and until he purges his contempt" if he "remains recalcitrant and refuses to purge his contempt at the end of the three months."
The committal of the IGP came as a result of legal action taken by a retired police officer, Mr Patrick Okoli, who claimed that he had been forced out of the Nigerian Police Force without due process.
Although the Police Service Commission (PSC) recommended Okoli’s restoration into the Police, a decision which was upheld by the court, Justice Olajuwon remarked that the IGP failed to comply with the order.
For violating his rights and privileges as a Senior Officer of the Nigeria Police Force from 1993 until today, the court has also ordered the payment of N10 million to the Applicant in the form of special and general damages.