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Lawyers to IGP: New dress code for policewomen, illegal

Some senior lawyers yesterday condemned the new dress code unveiled by the Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, for women police officers in the country.

 

The new dress code was made known by the Acting Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement issued in Abuja.

 

The new dress code would permit female police officers to wear stud earrings, and headscarf under their berets or peak caps as the case may be while in uniform. However, reacting to this, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, in a telephone chat with Sunday Telegraph said it was incredible to hear such.

 

According to him:”Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution makes Nigeria a secular state, being affiliated to no religion. Hijab is a Muslim dress code. It is incredible beholding our national institution being degraded and corroded by sectional and religious sentiments and tendencies.

 

“Have you ever seen the American or UK Police dressing that way? You think they don’t have Muslims? If this is allowed, then women and men of the Nigeria Police, Army, Air Force, Navy, Customs, and other security and para- military forces should also be allowed to adorn their tunics, collars, gowns, cassocks, frocks, surplice, satin, chasuble, surplice, omophorion, etc. “After all, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.

 

We must also allow atheists and Ogun worshippers to wear amulets, charms, special dresses with horns, etc. “The Buhari government must stop giving the world the false and wrong impression that Nigeria and the Nigerian people are a Muslim country and people. We are not. I am a strong Christian and a proud Catholic of the 4th degree (the highest) in the order of the Knights of St Mulumba.

 

“No one should pollute my Police Force which is a critical national institution. Very soon, the powers-thatbe may also by fiat decree that lawyers should now wear hijab to court instead of wig and gown. “There is certainly a limit to which we can take misgovernance, pre-bendalism, cronysm, favoritism, sectionalism, tribalism and religiosity. Stop, Police, STOP!!!”.

 

Also reacting, a Lagos based lawyer, Ebun – Olu Adegboruwa, in a statement issued yesterday noted that the religion of public officers, including members of the security agencies, should be a private matter to them.

 

“The Inspector-General of Police is not competent to use the platform of his office to enforce religion. “Section 10 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stipulates that government and all its agencies should be neutral in religious matters.

 

“Section 42 of the same Constitution prohibits discrimination in all its ramifications. In this regard, there will be no end to confusion attending the new dress code prescribed by the IGP. “What will be the official uniform for police women, who are in the Catholic Church? “How should policemen and women who are in the Celestial Church dress up when the practice of their church is against wearing shoes at all?

 

“And how should traditionalists, who are in the police force dress up, with charms and amulets round their uniforms? “The Nigeria Police has existed as an institution since 1945 and it is strange that of all the issues confronting that agency, such as low morale, poor welfare, poor infrastructure, poor training, poor welfare, etc, religious adornment should be the priority of the Inspector-General of Police.

 

“The police should focus on combating crime, improve citizens’ engagement and help guaranty safety of lives and property. The religious preferences of policemen and women should be their private matters”. Also reacting, a law lecturer ,

 

Dr. Mrs. Tejumade Olofinjana, opined that such decision singlehandedly taken by the IGP was illegal and should be made null, void and of no effect. According to her: “The uniform or the dress code of Nigerian Police is not the sole prerogative of a single man, who is the IGP but that of the Police Council and approved by the Legislators.”

 

“Asides that, the Nigerian Police is a public office, which should not have any religious or ethnic coloration at all.

 

“This is because Nigeria is a secular state with multi religions, beliefs, ethnics and languages. As such, no single group should be seen to be dominating others.

 

“In making policies, the diversities and secularism of our nation should always be considered in order not to polarize the system at all. “For me, I am of the view that the new police dress code, especially for female Police is illegal and a breach of Section 10 of the Constitution”.

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