News
CP Justifies Dismissal Of Pregnant Policewoman
The Ekiti State Police Command, yesterday, justified the dismissal of a Police Constable, Miss Olajide Omolola.
It said the police authority had to wield the big stick when it discovered that the unmarried constable got pregnant in alleged flagrant violation of the Police Rules and Regulation.
Omolola, who was attached to the Iye Ekiti Police Station in Ilejemeje area of Ekiti State, was dismissed last week by police authority, for getting pregnant barely a year after graduating from the police academy.
He defended the police decision to dismiss an unmarried policewoman, for getting pregnant out of wedlock less than a year after she joined the force.
Omolola, a corporal, was dismissed from the force last week for breaching Section 127 of the Police Act and Regulation which forbids a woman police from getting pregnant before marriage in the Force.
Section 127 of the Act reads, “An unmarried woman police officer who becomes pregnant shall be discharged from the Force and shall not be re-enlisted except with the approval of the Inspector-General.”
Speaking with newsmen in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, the Police Commissioner, Ekiti Command, Mr Babatunde Mobayo, said Omolola violated Section 127 of the Police Regulation, which carries serious punitive measures against flouters.
Mobayo stated that the rule and regulation unambiguously stated that woman police must undergo post-training experience on the field for, at least, two years before marriage and three years before childbearing.
In his words, “In police organisation, we have rules and regulations, which are being carried out within the ambit of the constitution. The police officers are not even allowed to keep their children that are above 18 years of age in the barracks. Some of these laws were taught in the police colleges before we graduated.
“These laws have been there. Some stipulated the number of years you must spend before you get married. If you are in police college, you are not supposed to get pregnant.
“When you passed out, you still need basic training and for your attention not to be distracted, you must spend a certain minimum of a period before you get married for you to perform efficiently.
“The lady in question passed out May, 2020, which is eight months ago, and now, she is with six months of pregnancy. The Police Act 2020, which is undergoing amendment in the Senate, has not repealed that. She had contravened Section 127 of the Police Regulation.
“Section 126 of the Regulation stated that married woman police who is pregnant may be granted maternity leave, while Section 127 said unmarried woman police who becomes pregnant shall be discharged from the Force and shall not be enlisted except with the approval of the IGP.
“What some people talked about that her fundamental human rights had been trampled upon and that women should not be discriminated against while also saying the law has been repealed were not true. The regulation is still in place”.
Contrary to the widespread belief that the regulation has been expunged, Mobayo maintained the Police Amendment Bill 2019, which was brought and sponsored by Senator Uzenwa Onyebuchi at the Senate has not been passed, saying it has only got to the second reading.
“The amendment being sought has not been done neither had the bill get presidential assent. It has just been referred to the Senate Committee on Police Affairs for further scrutiny.
“Aside from the foregoing, the amended Police Act is different from Police Regulation”, Mobayo clarified.
Speaking further, the police commissioner stated that he had been a commandant in one of the police colleges before becoming a CP, saying he handled several cases akin to this with victims dismissed, having flouted the law, saying this could not have been treated as an exemption.
“I felt for that lady, though I never saw her before. We saw the medical report and we did due diligence on her case.
“We can’t shy away from the oath of office we took, but the IGP can still reverse whatever we do on the field.
“About 300 policewomen were graduated here last year. How would the public feel if they see all of them pregnant in less than a year? It will look ridiculous.
“We are not the drafters of the rules, we met them there. All these disciplinary actions are what made us to be able to control our men.
“No police constable is underaged and they should be able to know what to do not to get pregnant within the time prohibited by regulation”.
Explaining further, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, ASP Sunday Abutu, noted that every organisation has rules guiding their conduct, saying Omolola embarrassed the Force by flouting the Police Act which she agreed to adhere to when taking the job.
Abutu advised residents and stakeholders not to be emotional with her case but join the Force in enforcing the laid down rules and regulations guiding the conduct of officers.
According to him, “It is very much there in the police Act and anyone that is coming in especially a woman when she could get pregnant after some years but in her own case she joined less than a year ago and she got pregnant without a husband. It is against the Police Act.
“People bringing emotions and personal opinion to it should not be the case. In your own establishment, you have your own rules and regulations and no matter how small or big the rule is, nobody should go against it or take it for granted.
“Everyone in the Force knows that you must introduce someone as your husband; that is it. So, getting pregnant without doing this is an embarrassment to the Force. There is nothing too harsh in the punishment.
“Don’t forget she got enlisted into the Force not up to a year and there is no record of traditional, church, police marriage.”
The PPRO, however, revealed that she could still be recalled into the Force by the Inspector General of Police, calling on people to exercise restraint in the matter.
Abutu explained that Nigerians should focus their strengths in the fight against insecurity across the country, adding that she would not be the first to be dismissed from the Force for similar reasons.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.
-
News13 hours agoSoldier, Police Officer Killed As Army Rescues Nine Abductees In Zamfara
-
News13 hours agoPH NBA Election: Committee Uncovers Over 500 Padded Names On Voters’ Register
-
News13 hours agoFubara Reaffirms Commitment To Creating Conducive Environment For Business Growth …Commissions Paint Manufacturing Plant
-
Rivers13 hours agoWomen Renew Call For Unity, Back Fubara’s Political Direction
-
Sports13 hours ago
INEC Seeks Media Partnership, Declares Readiness For Osun Guber Poll
-
Oil & Energy12 hours agoNEDC Plans N100b Power Grid For 102 Council Areas
-
Business12 hours agoAsaba Private Jet Incident Was A Security Violation—Keyamo
-
Oil & Energy12 hours agoNGLPP: FG Targets 5m Households By 2030