The President, Women Arise for Change Initiative, Joe Okei-Odumakin, has asked the Inspector-General Police, Mohammed Adamu, to sack policemen who have impregnated women out of wedlock.
Okei-Odumakin was reacting to the sacking of an unmarried female corporal, Olajide Omolola, for getting pregnant.
The activist spoke on a PUNCH Live programme on Thursday, describing the dismissal of Omolola as “pure discrimination”.
According to her, many male operatives in the Nigeria Police Force have at one time or the other impregnated ladies whom they were not married to.
She stressed that the Force must respect the equality of rights, and accord same regard to both genders in the Force.
Okei-Odumakin said, “It is quite insensitive. The decision of the police authorities typifies the assault encountered by the average Nigerian woman in their workplace. We should be able to interrogate the system and also find out if the leadership within the system can also provide the number of men within the police force who have impregnated women out of wedlock and that have also served similar punishment.”
She noted that “it is quite sad knowing that at this point in the history of our country, an institution like the Nigeria Police Force” could slam such heavy punishment on a policewoman.
The police, in a wireless message with reference number CJ:4161/EKS/IY/Vol.2/236, DTO:181330/01/2021 had dismissed Omolola 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.
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.”
