Police sack female cop for being pregnant while single

The Nigeria Police Force has sacked a female cop, Corporal Olajide Omolola, for getting pregnant out of wedlock.

The police, in a wireless message with reference number CJ:4161/EKS/IY/Vol.2/236, DTO:181330/01/2021 obtained by PUNCH Metro, said Omolola was dismissed for getting pregnant while unmarried.

The signal originated from the Department of Finance and Administration in Ado Ekiti and was addressed to the Divisional Police Officer at Iye Ekiti, where Omolola was based.

The chief financial officer in Ekiti was asked to relay the information to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System to ensure that her salary was stopped.

It read, “Section 127 of the Police Act and Regulation against women police getting pregnant before marriage; W/PC (woman corporal) Olajide Omolola passed out of Police Training School on 24/04/2020 attached to yours, contravened above provisions.

“She stands dismissed from the Force. Dekit her. Retrieve police documents in her possession with immediate effect. O/C CFO Ekiti only. You are to relay signal to IPPIS Abuja for the stoppage of her salary with immediate effect.

“DECOMPOLS (Deputy Commissioners of Police)/ACPOLS (Assistant Commissioners of Police)/HODs/DPOs Ekiti State only. You are to lecture women police. Treat as very urgent.”

But it was learnt that the aspect of the Act relied on to justify the sacking had been repealed in the amended police Act signed into law in September 2020.

Part of the old law also made it compulsory for policewomen to seek the permission of their superiors before getting married.

A spokesman for the Police Service Commission, Ikechukwu Ani, declined comment on the matter.

The Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, said the police action was based on existing law.

He said, “It was Police Act Section 124 that was repealed by the court, not Section 127. Section 127 still stands. Section 124 talks about women police taking permission from the commissioner before getting married. Section 127 says any police officer who is unmarried and eventually gets pregnant shall be disengaged from the Force.

“It is in the police act and regulation. It is a regimented organisation and we have our rules and regulations which everyone must comply with.”