Monday, November 4, 2024
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Police Recruitment; Honesty During The Day; Deceit At Night

By Danjuma Lamido

On Tuesday, 4th June 2024, the Police Service Commission released the list of 10,000 people who applied for constable and specialist cadre roles in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

After careful scrutiny, it was discovered that many names on the list never applied for the recruitment, and a source at the Police Service Commission confirmed that the Inspector General of Police called the attention of the Police Service Commission to it through a letter dated 10th June 2024 with Ref No. 2100/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.20/124.

One would have expected the Police Service Commission to immediately arrange for a meeting with the Nigeria Police management team, to sort out the irregularities noticed on the list published by the Police Service Commission, but rather, the Commission ignored the letter from the Police Management.

You can’t be preaching integrity when your entire household is filled with deceit. A great philosopher, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, said that “when you’re surrounded by a world of constant lies, manipulation, and deceit, that dark energy is bound to seep into you eventually.”.

The dark energy really seeped into the recruitment exercise under the coordination of the Police Service Commission.

Like the Yoruba proverb, “A dog destined to be lost does not hear the hunter’s whistle.” The Police Service Commission refused to act on the letter from the Police Management, and I am sure this led to the untimely sack on Monday, June 10, 2024, of the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr Solomon Arase, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

I came across the press release signed by the Force PRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, and I was baffled that under an “Integrity” PSC Chairman, i) Several names of persons purported to be names of successful candidates are those who did not even apply and therefore did not take part in the recruitment exercise. ii) The published list contains several names of candidates who failed either the computer-based test (CBT) the physical screening exercise or both. iii) Some made it to the last stage of the exercise but were disqualified having been found medically unfit through the standardized medical test but who also made the list of successful candidates as published by the PSC. vi) Most worrisome is the allegation of financial dealings and corrupt practices leading to the outcome where unqualified and untrainable individuals have been shortlisted.

I 100% agree with the press release from the Nigeria Police that the PSC lacks the power to recruit unqualified and untrained individuals for the police. Noting that it is the police that bears the brunt of recruitment of unqualified individuals and not the PSC.

Another deceit of the PSC is the crippling of the Recruitment Board which was never allowed to carry out its mandate, insomuch that even the final list was not consented to by the Board. Haba, Mr. Integrity!

I recall that on 22nd April 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described as unwavering his administration’s resolve to reform the Nigeria Police Force and enhance security across Nigeria.

The attitude of the Police Service Commission in respect of police recruitment has completely gone against the resolve of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reform the Nigeria Police Force.

Those found guilty of the allegation of financial dealings and corrupt practices leading to the outcome where unqualified and untrainable individuals have been shortlisted should be prosecuted and weeded out of the PSC.

Also, candidates who failed either the Computer Based Test (CBT) or the physical screening exercise or both—those who made it to the last stage of the exercise but were disqualified having been found medically unfit through the standardized medical test but who also made the list of successful candidates as published by the PSC—should be banned from the Police Recruitment Exercise for the next 10 years.

On a final note, I vehemently urge the review of the full recruitment list, which is bloated with unqualified candidates.

Danjuma Lamido writes from Abuja. https://web.facebook.com/danjuma.lamido

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