Pregnant policewoman: Applause as Ekiti sues IGP

Pregnant policewoman: Applause as Ekiti sues IGP

By Tasie Theodore

Nigerians have risen in applause for the Ekiti State Government over its taking action to sue the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, in connection with the recent sack of a policewoman who had reportedly gotten pregnant without any evidence of having been duly married.

In the suit, the sub-national government is seeking an order of the court to declare Section 127 of the Police Act and Regulations, which provides for the discharge from the Police Force of female officers who become pregnant while they are not married officially as a violation.

According to details of the suit, the government is also joining as co-defendants in the suit, the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police and the Police Service Commission (PSC).

The case came to the public domain weeks ago when it was reported that a Police Constable, Miss Olajide Omolola, who got pregnant in alleged flagrant violation of the police rules was recently dismissed. Attached at the time of her dismissal to the Iye-Ekiti Police Station in Ilejemeje area of Ekiti State, Omoloja was reportedly dismissed by police authority for getting pregnant barely a year after graduating from the police academy.

The incident triggered widespread public umbrage with many describing it as a stark manifestation of gender bias and discrimination.

According to the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapohunda, in whose name the suit (FHC/AD/ C8/ 8/ 2021) was recently filed at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, the judicial authority should now determine among others, whether the provisions of Section 127 of Police Act and Regulations are not in violation of the combined provisions of Sections 37 and 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), and Articles 2,3, 5 18 (3) and 19 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and therefore unconstitutional, null and void.

The suit is also demanding an express order nullifying Section 127 of Police Act and Regulations as well as an order of perpetual injunction restraining the IGP, the Ekiti State CP and the PSC from implementing the regulation.