Nigerian Police Scrap Controversial Rule Dismissing Unmarried Pregnant Officers

In a significant step towards gender equality, the Nigeria Police Force has officially removed a long-standing regulation that mandated the dismissal of unmarried policewomen who became pregnant while in active service.

This development was confirmed by Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Aishatu Baju during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday. She stated that all laws discriminating against women in the Nigeria Police Force have been deleted in line with ongoing police reforms.

Addressing concerns over past cases, including that of Omolola Olajide, an unmarried police corporal dismissed in Ekiti State in 2021 for becoming pregnant, Baju assured that such dismissals are now a thing of the past.

“That Section 127 and any section of the Police Act and regulations that have gender discrimination have been expunged,” she confirmed. “Looking at the Police Act of 2020 and the ongoing police reform, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) is intentional about inclusivity and making sure that the Nigeria Police is an equal-opportunity institution.”

The move aligns with the Nigeria Police Gender Policy, launched last year, which aims to eliminate all forms of gender discrimination within the Force.

Olajide’s dismissal in 2021 sparked widespread outrage, prompting the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to challenge the legality of Section 127 of the Police Act in a Federal High Court in Abuja. However, the court dismissed the suit in February 2022, ruling that officers were aware of the regulation upon joining the Force.

With this policy shift, the Nigeria Police Force is taking a bold step toward modernizing its laws and fostering a more inclusive work environment for female officers.