- The Ministry of Justice, Ekiti State acknowledge the receipt of petitions from the International Federation of Women Lawyers ( F’IDA) and several other women rights groups in Ekiti State concerning the matter of a woman police officer resident in Ekiti State discharged from the Nigeria Police Force of her pregnancy status.
- 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”
- The Honourable Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, Olawale 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 Government of Ekiti State is committed to the eradication of all forms of discrimination against women in public and private life. Government has 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.
- The Honourable Attorney-General has decided to take the unprecedented action of filing a civil suit against the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State and the Police Service Commission in defence of the rights of the woman police officer.
- The Suit ( FHC/ AD/ CS/ 8/ 2021) filed in the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti Judicial Division seeks a determination of several questions including 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 Honourable Attorney-General by this suit is also seeking an order
nullifying Section 127 of the Police Act and Regulations as well as an
order of perpetual injunction restraining the Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command and the Police Service Commission from implementing the said provisions. - The Honourable Attorney-General has written to the Inspector General of Police offering the support of the Ministry of Justice, Ekiti State in conducting a gender audit of the Police Act and Regulations.
Signed
Olalekan Suleman
Special Assistant, Public Education, Media and Communications.
Office of the Honourable Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice
Ministry of Justice
Ekiti State
