Here’s why this Abuja court could send IGP Adamu to prison

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, must to appear before a Federal High Court in Abuja on February 4, a judge has ordered.

The order was issued over Adamu’s continued disobedience to court order.

The police IG is expected to show cause why contempt charge, which might land him in prison, should not be filed against him.

The court summon was said to have been served on Adamu at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu issued the summon against the IGP following his alleged refusal to reinstate a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Patrick Okoli, who was forcefully retired.

The court had set aside the forceful retirement of Okoli on the ground that due process was not followed, Punch reported.

The court had also imposed a fine of N10 million as punitive cost against the police authorities.

Although the police had contested the Federal High Court judgment at the Court of Appeal, it lost as the appellate court affirmed the decision of the lower court.

In compliance with the Court of Appeal decision, DCP Okoli was reinstated via a letter and in another letter was again retired compulsorily.

Justice Ojukwu after listening to arguments canvassed by Arinze Solomon Eggo, counsel for the applicant, issued an order directing the IGP to appear before her court on Thursday February 4.

An enrol order signed by the Judge read in part:

“An order of this court is hereby made mandating the Inspector-General of Police to appear before this court on February 4, 2020, at 9am to show cause why a contempt proceeding should not be taken against the Inspector-General of Police for refusal to obey the judgment of the court in this matter which judgment was affirmed by the Court of Appeal. This summons shall be served forthwith.”