Pregnant constable drags police authorities to court for her dismissal

The dismissed police constable who got pregnant out of wedlock, Omolola Olajide, attached to Iye-Ekiti Police Division; Ekiti State Police Command has dragged the police authorities to court praying for an order reinstating her to the force

Penpushing reports that the constable filed a suit of complaint on February 3 at the National Industrial Court in Akure, Ondo State, to challenge her dismissal, while it is recalled that she was dismissed on January 20, 2021 for allegedly violating section 127 of the Police Act with her pregnancy.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Police Service Commission (PSC) are sued in the suit as the  defendants, while the complainant through her lawyer, Funmi Falana, argued that her “purported dismissal” by the defendants was discriminatory and a violation of the various provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.’

Penpushing further reports that, Olajide in her statement of claim stated that the reason given for her “disengagement” in a signal sent to the Divisional Police Officer in charge of her station in Iye-Ekiti on January 20, “was that I contravened regulation 127 made pursuant to the Police Act against women getting pregnant before marriage and consequently dismissed. All police documents in my possession were also to be retrieved with immediate effect and my salary stopped,”

The complainant argued that, she was “never invited for interrogation or question by the defendants” before her employment was terminated, adding that she was called on phone by the Divisional Police Officer informing her to report at Police Medical Centre for medical test

“That I was however called on the phone by the DPO Iye-Ekiti, DSP Humphrey Ogbu on January 21, 2021 informing me to be at the Nigeria Police Medical Service, Ekiti State Command, Cottage Hospital, Ado Ekiti, to undergo a medical test.

“That I went for the test alongside one ASP Dauda Jimoh who collected the original copy of the result of the medical test on behalf of the defendants.”

Penpushing reports that, the dismissed police constable said the medical test conducted on her at the Police Medical Service, Ekiti State Command, “was done after the signal of my dismissal was already issued and sent out by the 1st defendant.”

The plaintiff said she had been diligent at her duties before her termination of employment, adding that her  her lead counsel, Mrs Falana, had, using the platform of her Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), written to the Inspector General of Police on January 28, 2021, requesting that she be reinstated to the police force “but nothing was done.”

The plaintiff prayed the court to declare that her “purported dismissal” via the January 20, 2021 signal “is null, void and unconstitutional as it violates Section 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended) and Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.”

Penpushing further reports that, she  requested the court to declare that “the provisions of Regulation 127 of the Police Act against women police getting pregnant before marriage is discriminatory but does not apply to their male counterpart who impregnate women whilst unmarried is illegal and unconstitutional.”

The plaintiff  prayed the court to rule that such discrimination “violates the Claimant’s rights under Section 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended) and Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, and the said provision should be annulled.”

Penpushing also reports that, she sought an order directing the defendants “to reinstate” her “to her status as constable without prejudice to her entitlements and promotions which may have accrued to her during the period of her purported dismissal.

The plaintiff, in addition wants the court to issue an injunction restraining the defendants from further interfering with her “rights, privileges and performance of her duties as a constable with the 3rd defendant.”

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