Does Police Act or Public Service Rules bar the IGP from a romance with and marriage to a female cop?

Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris

The lawmaker representing Bauchi central senatorial district, Isah Hamman Misau, on Wednesday alleged that the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, impregnated a serving deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Asta.

He says Idris’ conduct contravenes the police act.

Misau, a former police officer added that the IGP married Asta secretly in Kaduna after getting her pregnant.

“The IGP, last month, got married to that woman but under the police service rules and regulations, you cannot marry a serving officer unless the person retires. He quickly did a secret wedding in Kaduna because the lady was four months pregnant,” Misau said.

“I am saying all these because of the institution, because we have so many excellent officers who are now demoralized, who are now frustrated because of the activities of the IGP,” he added

Meanwhile the family of Asta has said that their daughter got married to the IGP publicly at the Sultan Bello Mosque, Kaduna.

“An unmarried woman police officer who becomes pregnant shall be discharged from the Force, and shall not be re-enlisted except with the approval of the Inspector-General.”

The family also claimed that she was not pregnant as at the time of the wedding.

However, does the Police Act or Public Service Rules bar the IGP from a romance with and marriage to a female cop?

The Police Act in article 124 states that policewomen are to apply for permission to marry [L.N. 93 of 1968.]

“A woman police officer who is desirous of marrying must first apply in writing to the commissioner of police for the State Police command in which she is serving, requesting permission to marry and giving the name, address, and occupation of the person she intends to marry.

“Permission will be granted for the marriage if the intended husband is of good character and the woman police officer has served in the Force for a period of not less than three years.”

The Act, in Article 127, which deals with pregnancy of unmarried women police, states, “An unmarried woman police officer who becomes pregnant shall be discharged from the Force, and shall not be re-enlisted except with the approval of the Inspector-General.”

The Public Service Rules, 2008 edition available on the website of the Federal Civil Service Commission made no mention about marriage between public servants.

The General Appendix C, Regulation No.6 only talks about marriage in the Nigerian Foreign Service.

Has the IGP committed any crime?

It is unclear if Asta applied and got the approval of a Commissioner of Police before proceeding with the marriage. If she did, no law has been broken but if she didn’t, then, there is a case.

However if the allegation that she was four months pregnant before the marriage is true, she has violated Article 127 of the Police Act and she should be discharged from the Force as stipulated.