PSC asks IGP to hand over 2020 police recruitment exercise

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has asked Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police (IGP), to hand over the ongoing recruitment exercise of police constables and cadets in compliance with the order of the court of appeal.

The PSC had challenged the powers of the IGP to recruit 10,000 police constables into the force.

On December 2, 2019, Inyang Ekwo, judge of a federal high court, Abuja, dismissed PSC’s suit for lacking merit.

However, on September 30, 2020, a three-man panel of the appellate court led by Olabisi Ige ruled that the IGP and the NPF lack powers to recruit constables into the force.

The panel unanimously held that the power to carry out the recruitment was exclusively that of the PSC.

The IGP has since filed an appeal before the supreme court seeking to upturn the appellate court’s decision.

In a statement on Friday, Ikechukwu Ani, PSC spokesperson, said Musiliu Smith, chairman of the commission, has asked the IGP to hand over the 2020 police recruitment.

He said Smith made the demand in a letter dated October 20.

Meanwhile, the commission has condemned the killing of innocent Nigerians during the #EndSARS protest.

“The commission has followed recent developments and is shocked at the level of destructions visited on innocent Nigerians, public facilities and businesses in the country by miscreants,” the statement read.

“The commission wishes to reiterate its commitment to holding police officers, whether of the defunct Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) or conventional, accountable for their actions and inactions and will continue to ensure instant due punishments for misconducts.

“The commission only recently dismissed ten senior police officers including an assistant commissioner of police and reduced the rank of nine others following established cases of misconduct.

“The commission will process and punish all policemen found culpable by the presidential panel on reform of the defunct SARS.

The commission also condemned the killing of police officers across the nation, adding that they “are also Nigerians that have sacrificed their lives and comfort for the safety of the citizens and their properties and deserves nothing but commendation, support and encouragement.”

“We will ensure that the police that will emerge in the nearest future will meet the expectations of Nigerians. Nigerians are therefore urged to extend to them the required cooperation and support while government attends to the basic inadequacies facing the institution,” PSC said.