By Danjuma Lamido
I have observed the PSC and Police brouhaha on the 2022 police constable recruitment. Still, after reading the latest position of the Police Service Commission, I am forced to respond to some of the ignorance of the Commission.
On the release of the confidential letter sent to the Chairman of the Commission by the Inspector General of Police on alleged lapses in the recruitment exercise to the media was a gross violation of the Public Service Rules with grave consequences. I wish to state that even though the letter is a public document addressing the corruption and extortion investigated in the recruitment exercise, the leaked letter came from the PSC, yes, and I stand by that.
It seems the PSC forgot that the position of the Inspector General of Police is an appointment as stipulated here, “Chapter 6. Part 3. Section 215.
Appointment of Inspector-General and Control of Nigeria Police Force (1) There shall be: (a) an Inspector-General of Police who, subject to section 216(2) of this Constitution shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council from among serving members of the Nigeria Police Force.”
Therefore, it is only the President or the Nigeria Police Council that has the power to determine if the Inspector-General of Police has committed a gross violation of the Public Service Rules.
The statement claimed that since 2019, when a former Inspector General of Police hijacked the soft copy of an ongoing recruitment exercise and forcefully completed the exercise without the input of the Commission, the statutory body solely charged with such responsibility, the Commission has not been allowed to perform this constitutional duty.
Under the leadership of IGP Olukayode Egbetokun, the Nigeria police have never stopped the PSC from performing its constitutional duty.
I recall that on 3rd August 2023, as acting Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun met with the then Chairman of, the Police Service Commission, Dr. Solomon Arase, for the first time since his assumption of office.
The meeting discussed issues relating to the progress of both agencies of government for the development of the Nigeria Police Force, with the two leaders agreeing to set up joint committees to look into areas of likely friction in their operations.
This was backed by a statement from the spokesperson for the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani.
“The PSC Chairman and the visiting acting IG had a one-hour fruitful discussion on several issues that will progress the two federal government agencies in the area of advancing the security sub-sector of the nation.
“The meeting agreed to set up joint committees to look into areas of likely frictions in the operations of the two agencies.
“The meeting also agreed on the setting up of a recruitment board that will include all the strategic stakeholders in future recruitment exercises. The commission and the police also pledged that the welfare of police officers will be paramount henceforth,” Ani said.
He further noted that both police chiefs also agreed on working together to ensure that issues of discipline are handled expeditiously so that those found wanting are adequately punished, and others not found wanting are freed to continue with their career progression.
He added, “They also agreed to ensure that promotion of police officers is prompt and based on merit, seniority, and availability of vacancy.
“Dr. Arase said the commission will continue to collaborate with the acting Inspector-General of Police to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the Nigeria Police.”
I am challenging the PSC to prove to Nigerians that the inducements of hired writers to run down the Commission in the media are from the Nigeria Police Force. Gone are the days when you make allegations and go away with them.
I will advise those writers to invoke the power of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act 2015 (as amended) on the PSC, as the law is settled that he who asserts a fact must prove the existence of that fact. “Incumbit probatio qui dicit non qui negat.”
I am surprised that the PSC is running away from extortion and corruption aspects of the recruitment exercise but keeps using the Supreme Court judgement as a smokescreen to cover it up. The police are not reluctant to allow the commission to perform this constitutional assignment, but the PSC must come to equity with clean hands.
The shallow mind of the PSC must have made them forget that IGP Egbeokun became IGP in 2023, so he has not been part of the alleged Hijack since 2019, as claimed by the commission.
IGP Egbetokun and his management team are not the type that stranglehold on the recruitment of constables, even against the Supreme Court’s judgement.
The management team is well educated and professional to mingle in the recruitment of constables.
It is high time President Bola Ahmed Tinubu looked into the allegations and extortion that followed the PSC recruitment as the Supreme Court judgement did not give the Commission to corruptly recruit candidates for the Nigeria police and become a burden for the Police.
Danjuma Lamido writes from Kano State.
