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Court voids law prohibiting unmarried police officers from getting pregnant
The national industrial court has struck down a regulation of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), which forbids unmarried officers from getting pregnant.
Pursuant to Regulation 127 of the Nigeria Police Force Regulation, a female officer who gets pregnant outside wedlock will be dismissed.
BACKGROUND
TheCable had reported that Omolola Olajide, an unmarried police corporal attached to Iye-Ekiti station, was sacked in 2021 for getting pregnant.
Babatunde Mobayo, the state commissioner of police, had justified Olajide’s sack, saying the officer contravened section 127 of the police regulations.
Following the sack, Olawale Fapohunda, Ekiti state attorney-general and commissioner for justice, had instituted a lawsuit before a federal high court in Ekiti seeking an order of the court nullifying section 127 of the Police Act.
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But the court had dismissed the suit on the grounds that it is an abuse of court process since a similar suit filed by Olajide is pending before the national industrial court.
‘POLICE ACT DISCRIMINATORY’
Delivering judgment in the suit marked NICN/AK/14/2021, Dashe Damulak, the presiding judge in the court’s Akure division, held that the particular section of the police regulation is “discriminatory, illegal, null and void”.
The court held that the regulation “violates section 42 of the (Nigerian) constitution and article 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Ratification and Enforcement Act which abolished discrimination on basis of gender.”
“The court… finds and holds that the provision of section 127 of the Police Act and Regulation 127 thereof, which applies to unmarried women police officers getting pregnant while in service but does not apply to unmarried male police officers impregnating females while they are in service, is discriminatory against unmarried women police officers by section 1(3) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended,” the judge said.
“If any law is inconsistent with the provision of this constitution, this constitution shall prevail, and that other law shall to the extent of its inconsistency be void.”
‘CLAIMANT CANNOT BE REINSTATED’
Although the court nullified the “discriminatory” regulation, the judge said Olajide cannot be reinstated into the police force.
The judge held that the claimant’s dismissal could not be reversed as she was on probation at the time of her sack from the force.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the case of the claimant succeeds in part only in terms of prayer B,” the judge said.
The judge, however, awarded aggravated damages of N5 million for the violation of Olajide’s fundamental right to freedom from discrimination.
metro
How Access Bank staff secretly filmed 400 colleagues naked in office
How Access Bank staff secretly filmed 400 colleagues naked in office
A former quality assurance specialist at Access Bank’s contact centre in Oniru, Lagos, (name withheld), has found himself at the centre of a disturbing scandal involving the secret filming of hundreds of his colleagues.
According to a report by FIJ, the suspect allegedly secretly recorded about 400 colleagues, particularly women, naked inside the office restrooms.
Sources told FIJ that he was apprehended inside the female restroom around 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
Although Access Bank subsequently called for his arrest and a raid was conducted at his residence, he was later released from custody.
Some of the affected staff, whose nude images were found among the videos, have voiced concerns about their chances of getting justice, especially since the suspect has been dismissed and is no longer detained by the authorities.
Questions linger over how the suspect was able to carry out such acts undetected.
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According to FIJ, the Access Bank contact centre operates a shift system, meaning some employees often spend the night at the office, where they also bathe and freshen up.
“He snuck into the ladies restroom. I believe he wanted to hide his camera as usual, so he noticed ladies coming and hid in one of the toilets beside the bathroom,” a source told the online newspaper.
“Mind you, the men’s restroom is not too close for him to have mistakenly entered the one for women.
“He was found when a lady taking her bath noticed a phone recording her from the toilet cubicle, which is directly by the side of the bathroom. She noticed someone closed the water closet seat, and was making a video. She just saw the camera by chance.”
Upon raising the alarm, more staff members gathered, demanding that the person inside open the door. Eventually, he emerged.
“That was when people saw it was Stephen. He said he didn’t know how he got to the ladies’ toilet, but couldn’t explain the part of him making videos,” a witness recounted.
Later that day, after more footage showing both male and female colleagues naked in the restroom was discovered on his devices, he was taken into custody. A further search of his home uncovered over 400 such videos stored on his laptop.
In an even more unsettling twist, reports suggest that Ijezie may have been profiting from the exploitation.
Despite these revelations, those who previously worked with Ijezie described him as an unlikely perpetrator.
“He was so cool and would always ask after people. That aside, he was an exceptional agent. No one would ever have thought this would come from him,” a former colleague shared.
How Access Bank staff secretly filmed 400 colleagues naked in office
metro
Shootings, pandemonium as gunmen disrupt pro-Wike rally in Bayelsa
Shootings, pandemonium as gunmen disrupt pro-Wike rally in Bayelsa
There was pandemonium on Saturday at the rally ground of NEW Associates, a pro-Wike political in Bayelsa State, as gunmen suspected to be political thugs shot sporadically at the crowd and disrupted the programme.
The gunshots caused pandemonium as the crowd dispersed and scampered for their safety. Although there were no casualties but it was confirmed that some persons sustained gunshot injuries.
at the Church of God Mission Camp at Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The rally organised by the supporters of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in appreciation of President Bola Tinubu for appointing sons and daughters of the state into positions in government, was also aimed at declaring support for Wike, who is the grand patron of the group.
It could be recalled that the rally earlier fixed for April 12 was shifted to April 26, after supporters of Governor Douye Diri also fixed their rally at the earlier date and venue. Though both groups also shifted their rallies.
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The supporters of NEW Associates who had thronged the Church of God Mission Camp arena, venue of the rally, as early as 8 am, were already seated when the gunmen began shooting sporadically from the nearby bush.
The supporters, however, ran for their lives while the combined security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and DSS engaged the hoodlums to retreat.
They also combed the surrounding bushes to forestall any further attacks.
Speaking shortly after the incident, the Secretary of NEW Associates and former spokesman of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, accused the state government of trying to scatter their peaceful rally, vowing to continue with the rally.
He said the put up the peaceful rally to appreciate President Bola Tinubu for appointing sons and daughters of the state in positions of responsibility in his government, wondering why somebody should feel threatened with a peaceful rally.
Shootings, pandemonium as gunmen disrupt pro-Wike rally in Bayelsa
metro
Police bust human trafficking ring in Oyo, 84 victims rescued
Police bust human trafficking ring in Oyo, 84 victims rescued
The Oyo State Police Command has uncovered a human trafficking ring in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The police stormed the building where 83 individuals and a child from a house in the Orogun area of the city, were being held against their will.
Preliminary reports suggest that the victims, believed to be nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo, were lured to Nigeria under the pretence of being offered employment opportunities.
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There are also claims that the perpetrators extorted significant sums of money, reportedly in dollars, from the victims’ parents and relatives as part of the elaborate scheme.
The rescued individuals are currently at the Police Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, where authorities are conducting further investigations to ascertain the full details of the case.
Police bust human trafficking ring in Oyo, 84 victims rescued
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