The Ekiti state government through the state Ministry of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, over the police officer, Omolola Olajide, who was sacked for getting pregnant while being unmarried.
Olajide was discharged from the service after she was discovered to be six months pregnant while being unmarried. Her dismissal was contained in a police wireless message with reference number CJ:4161/EKS/IY/Vol.2/236, DTO:181330/01/2021.
The state government is against her dismissal and has filed a suit challenging the decision of the police. The state Attorney-General, Olawale Fapohunda, in the suit FHC/AD/CS/8/2021 filed in the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti Judicial Division, is, among others, asking the court to nullify Omolola’s dismissal on grounds that it is unconstitutional
A press statement released by the Special Assistant to the AG on Media, Olalekan Suleman, reads in part
“Fapohunda has reviewed the said Police Regulations and found several provisions in violation of sections 37 and 42 of the Constitution the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) as well as several regional and international treaties to which Nigeria is a party including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights”.
The suit seeks determination of whether by 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, the provisions of Section 127 of Police Act and Regulation Cap. P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 are not unconstitutional, null and void”.
The Attorney General in the statement says the state government is committed to the eradication of all forms of discrimination against women in public and private life and as such had enacted several laws including the Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, 2020 (as amended), and enabled policies aimed at protecting the rights of women in Ekiti State.
Fapohunda is also via the suit seeking an order nullifying Section 127 of the Police Act and Regulations as well as an order of perpetual injunction restraining the IGP, Ekiti Commissioner of Police and the PSC from implementing the said provisions.