The Nigeria Police Force has scrapped its law banning unmarried female police officers still in service from getting pregnant and prescribing dismissal for violation.
Assistant inspector General of police, Aishatu Baju, while speaking on a Channels TV programme on Wednesday, disclosed that the discriminatory section of the Police Act which mandates the dismissal of unmarried female officers who get pregnant while still in the Force has been expunged.
She said, the section of the law – Section 127 of the Police Act – was expunged in line with ongoing reforms at the institution.
According to Baju, “That section, along with any other part of the Police Act that discriminates against female officers, has been removed under the Police Act 2020.
“The Inspector General of Police has also introduced the Nigeria Police Gender Policy to ensure full inclusivity and equal opportunities for all officers,” Baju stated.
Aishatu Baju who is currently the highest ranking female police officer in Nigeria, reassured the public that Nigeria Police Force is committed to eliminating gender-based discrimination and fostering a more inclusive institution for all personnel.
Recall that the section of the Police Act caused an outrage among citizens after corporal Omolola Olajide, was dismissed for getting pregnant while service in Ekiti command.
Following her dismissal, the Nigerian Bar Association filed a suit in court challenging the viability of such a law in the present-day policing.
However, the court upheld Olajide’s dismissal, ruling that the officer was aware of that section of the Act before joining the Force.
NBA further appealed the ruling of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over the matter. With this, the Appeal Court in May 2024, nullified Sections 126 and 127 of the Nigeria Police Act, effectively putting an end to the policy.
