Nigeria's Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba on Thursday filed a motion before a Federal High, Abuja to set aside the contempt proceeding and committal order issued against him on Tuesday, 29th November, 2022.

Spokesman of the Nigeria Police Command, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed this in a statement early Friday.

The statement explained that, the IGP in the motion filed before the Court on Thursday, 1st December, 2022 extensively highlighted grounds why the orders should be set aside, including noting that he had not been appointed into office as Police boss at the time the case was instituted and the reinstatement order in question granted.

IGP Baba affirmed that the contempt proceedings were served through substituted means in November 2018 and January 2019, respectively, on the then Inspector-General of Police and not on him as the incumbent.

In an affidavit before the Court, the IGP deposed that even before his assumption of office, official steps had been taken by his predecessors towards complying with the reinstatement of Patrick C. Okoli, the plaintiff, as ordered by the Court, as was evidenced by an official letter addressed to the Police Service Commission (PSC) on the approval of the then Inspector General of Police, as far back as 2015 and before the Court order of 29th November, 2022, requesting the Commission to issue a reinstatement letter to the plaintiff and also effect his promotion in line with the order of the Court and in the exercise of their statutory authority in that regard. Hence, the grounds for the contempt proceedings ought not to have existed, ab initio.

The statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, states that the IGP reassured Nigerians of his unalloyed commitment and steadfastness in defending the rule of law and respecting judicial authorities, and hence, he will not wittingly or unwittingly disobey any order validly granted by courts of competent jurisdiction.