Ekiti State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Wale Fapohunda, has sued the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission and the Commissioner of Police in the state for sacking a pregnant officer, Olajide Omolola.
He said his ministry acknowledged the receipt of petitions from the International Federation of Women Lawyers and several other women rights groups in the state over the matter.
He said the communication from the Nigeria Police Headquarters revealed that the woman police officer was discharged from the Nigeria Police in compliance with Section 127 of the Police Act and Regulations Cap. P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Section 127 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.”
Fapohunda said police regulations had been reviewed 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 to including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
