Ekiti State police command has defended its decision to dismiss an unmarried policewoman, Olajide Omolola for getting pregnant out of wedlock less than a year after she joined the force.
Omolola, a corporal serving at Iye Divisional Police Headquarters in Ilejemeje LGA of the state, was dismissed from the force last week for breaching section 127 of Police Act and Regulation, which forbids a woman police from getting pregnant before marriage in the Force.
This was contained in a police wireless message with reference number CJ:4161/EKS/IY/Vol.2/236, DTO:181330/01/2021, The Punch reports.
This sparked outrage among many Nigerians, who slammed Nigeria Police Force for being discriminatory and called on rights group to get justice for the woman.
Defending the police force action in an interview with Vanguard on Thursday, January 28, Ekiti state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Sunday Abutu, pointed out that every organisations have rules guiding their conduct, which everyone must abide by.
He revealed that Omolola, who was enlisted in April 2020, embarrassed the Force by flouting the police Act which she agreed to adhere to when taking the job.
The PPRO expressed;
It is very much there in the police Act and anyone that is coming in especially a woman when she could get pregnant after some years but in her own case she joined less than a year ago and she got pregnant without a husband. It is against the Police Act.
People bringing emotions and personal opinion to it should not be the case. In your own establishment, you have your own rules and regulations and no matter how small or big the rule is, nobody should go against it or take it for granted.
Abutu added;
Everyone in the Force knows that you must introduce someone as your husband, that is it. So getting pregnant without doing this is an embarrassment to the Force. There is nothing too harsh in the punishment.
Don’t forget she got enlisted into the Force not up to a year and there is no record of traditional, church, police marriage.
The PPRO, however, revealed that she could still be recalled into the Force by Inspector General of Police, calling on people to exercise restraint in the matter.
