The Nigeria Police Force has sacked an unmarried female corporal, Olajide Omolola, for getting pregnant.

This is contained in a police wireless message with reference number CJ:4161/EKS/IY/Vol.2/236, DTO:181330/01/2021 which was obtained by The PUNCH.

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 is based.

In the document it was stated that Omolola completed police training on April 24, 2020 and was attached to Iye Ekiti.

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

The document 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.”

Investigations by The PUNCH, however, showed that the aspect of the Police Act which was being relied on to justify the sacking of the policewoman had been repealed in the amended Police Act that was signed into law by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in September 2020.

Part of the old law which has been repealed also made it compulsory for policewomen to seek the permission of their superiors before getting married.

Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, a champion for police reforms in Nigeria, Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, who is also the Regional Director for Ford Foundation, West Africa, said indeed, the aspect of the Police Act which barred unmarried policewomen from getting pregnant had been repealed.

Chukwuma, however, said the law had not yet been gazetted hence the ignorance of its provisions by the police.

He said, “That aspect of the law which is discriminatory against women has been repealed. However, the law has not been gazetted but it doesn’t mean it should not be upheld. Gazetting is a mere administrative process. It entails officially publishing and making it available to all stakeholders and government establishments. Until that is done, they are usually reluctant to uphold the law.”

Human rights activists have in recent time kicked against discriminatory laws against women especially those working in security agencies.

In August 2020, the Nigerian Army dismissed a soldier for getting pregnant after she was raped by suspected bandits while travelling to Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

The rape victim was charged with one count of ‘conduct prejudicial to service discipline,’ found guilty and dismissed from the regiment.

Investigations by The PUNCH, however, showed that the aspect of the Police Act which was being relied on to justify the sacking of the policewoman had been repealed in the amended Police Act that was signed into law by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in September 2020.

sapphiere:
This ill treatment towards women should stop.
Value Female Network should look into this.

Unmarried male police officers impregnate young ladies everyday and they don't get sacked.

sapphiere:
This ill treatment towards women should stop.
Value Female Network should look into this.

Unmarried male police officers impregnate young ladies everyday and they don't get sacked.

sapphiere:
This ill treatment towards women should stop.
Value Female Network should look into this.

Unmarried male police officers impregnate young ladies everyday and they don't get sacked.

Sundrus:
Some ladies & legs opening sef

OOzz:
Good for her

She is supposed to close her legs, but NO!
Our amiable NPF does not condone female promiscuity. It is only reserved for men and top officers.

gaius01:


You eh ? your ideology is never balance I don't know why. If you are comparing men and women remember that men don't carry pregnancy to work. Do I have to put you through on this like teaching ABC to a nursery pupils? You better think well to balance the other side.

tsdarkside:


tell her....
you wan send a pregnant woman to do dangerous police duties....??

even after she born the child,she will still need a while to recover....who is gonna finance that....??

sapphiere:
What of the married pregnant policewomen? Do they carry theirs to work? If yes, why can't they unmarried?

gaius01:
Arrrrrrrh

Good riddance. She can't ask for maternity leave when she's not married. As a police personnel decorum should be regard with high esteem.

gaius01:


Read this and get insight :

sapphiere:
This ill treatment towards women should stop.
Value Female Network should look into this.

Unmarried male police officers impregnate young ladies everyday and they don't get sacked.

sapphiere:
This ill treatment towards women should stop.
Value Female Network should look into this.

Unmarried male police officers impregnate young ladies everyday and they don't get sacked.

sapphiere:
Why do Africans (men) see marriage as a do or die?

Sundrus:
Some ladies & legs opening sef

Draslo:

So she should be celibate because she's in the NPF? Everything about how this country is run is a disaster.

Deborah98:
sapphiere don buy market today,what do I know let her go to the man that got her pregnant and stay with him since it's unethical for an unmarried female police officer to get pregnant. The married ones among them take maternity leave,so she won't be granted such because she is not married QED!

tsdarkside:


no,she should marry....

do you even understand how complicated it is to hire a female....

when they are pregnant,they are practicaly useless and need attention....

Draslo:

Really??! That's bullshit. There are loads of pregnant women who go to work from their first trimester to days before delivery. Abeg softly dey talk.

tsdarkside:


then she has no business to be in the police force....

go be beyonce as a civilian....

sapphiere:



Investigations by The PUNCH, however, showed that the aspect of the Police Act which was being relied on to justify the sacking of the policewoman had been repealed in the amended Police Act that was signed into law by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in September 2020.

tsdarkside:


true....but when they are in labour....??
this can be months....

sapphiere:
Why do Africans (men) see marriage as a do or die?

Draslo:

Oga every woman is entitled to a maternity leave whether she's married or not. Some countries sef get paternity leave so there's that. Also labor lasts from 20 minutes to days at a stretch. I've never heard of someone in labor for months, guy.