Ekiti State Government has filed a lawsuit against the Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu over the dismissal of an unmarried policewoman resident in Ekiti State for being pregnant.
Omolola Olajide was discharged from the force in compliance with Section 127 of the Police Act and Regulations Cap. P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Joined as co-defendants in the suit established by Ekiti State Ministry of Justice are Ekiti police commissioner and the Police Service Commission.
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, seeking court declaration that:
“Section 127 of the Police Act and Regulations which provides for the discharge from the Police Force, women police officers who become pregnant while unmarried unconstitutional.
“Section 127 of the Police Act and Regulations provides that “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”.
A press statement on Sunday from the attorney-general’s spokesman Olalekan Suleman stated, “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.”
