Police service commission challenges Nigeria Police over recruitment allegations

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has called on the Nigeria Police Force to provide verifiable evidence supporting allegations concerning the recruitment of constables.

This comes after the police, through spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, rejected the list of recruits provided by the PSC, claiming that it included names of individuals who did not apply or participate in the recruitment exercise.

The PSC, in a statement on Friday by its Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, responded to these claims, accusing the police of attempting to undermine the commission’s credibility.

The PSC demanded the police present verifiable evidence to substantiate their allegations, emphasizing that due process was meticulously followed throughout the recruitment exercise.

Ani stated, “The Commission demands that the Police should provide verifiable evidence to prove the allegations peddled against it as it is obvious that it is a case of giving a dog a bad name to hang it.”

The dispute has also involved the Joint Union Congress of the Police Service Commission, which has demanded the removal of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, following the allegations. Egbetokun, on his part, has denied any personal vendetta against the PSC, asserting that his actions aim to ensure that only qualified individuals are recruited into the force.

The PSC’s statement highlighted that the Supreme Court, in its July 11, 2023 judgment, granted the commission the authority to recruit without assigning any role to the police. Ani insisted that the PSC’s list of successful candidates should be subjected to a forensic audit to confirm its integrity.

Ani further elaborated, “In this judgment, there was no role assigned to any person or persons outside the Commission in the conduct of recruitment, and as such, any claim to that effect is serious contempt of Court.”

The PSC also criticized the police for attributing their operational challenges to poor recruitment practices, pointing out that previous recruitments managed by the police have hindered the force’s effectiveness. Ani stated that since 2019, the police have conducted recruitment exercises contrary to the provisions of the law, resulting in fraudulent recruits currently affecting the police force’s performance.

Ani called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure the police respect the PSC’s constitutional mandate. He urged that the successful candidates from the PSC’s recruitment list be allowed to commence their training without further delay.

“The Commission wishes to appeal to Mr. President to protect it and rein in the Nigeria Police Force to respect the Constitutional Mandate of the Commission to recruit,” Ani concluded. “It is the considered opinion of the Commission that the successful candidates should be allowed to proceed on training without delay.”