The PSC condemns the disclosure of the confidential letter by the IGP, citing a violation of public service principles

The Police Service Commission (PSC) said on Thursday that the disclosure of a confidential letter addressed to the Commission’s Chairman by the Inspector General of Police regarding alleged lapses in the media recruitment process constitutes a flagrant breach of the Public Service Principles with serious consequences.

The Police Services Commission (PSC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have been engaged in an unrestrained media war with each other since the Commission released the list of successful candidates for the 2023/2023 police recruitment process.

Earlier, the police authorities had alleged corruption and irregularities in the ongoing exercise, while the Commission had equally alleged an unholy attempt by the police to smuggle anointed non-candidates into the recruitment list.

Reacting to the recent attack on the Commission by the police authorities, the Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani in a statement said the Commission was concerned about the gross abuse of ethics, the Constitution and the final judgment of the supreme court of the Supreme Court of Land by the IGP.

In this regard, he noted that the Commission had been following with great interest developments since the preparation and publication of the list of successful candidates for recruitment as police officers in Nigeria.

To this end, the Commission found that since 2019, when the former Inspector General of Police snatched a paper copy of the ongoing recruitment process and forcibly completed it without the involvement of the Commission – only the statutory body with such responsibility, the Commission had not been allowed to do so constitutional obligation.

The commission, Ani said, faced several humiliations at every step while trying to perform the functions entrusted to it by the Constitution, even after the Supreme Court decided the case in its favor.

The Commission also noted that this display of brutal force and intimidation by the police, as well as the recent solicitation of hired writers to criticize the Commission in the media, constitutes a serious insult to the Commission’s mandate.

According to Mr. Ania: “The Commission examined the issues related to the successful recruitment and came to the conclusion that even after the Supreme Court’s judgment, the Police is reluctant to allow the Commission to perform this constitutional task. The Commission demands that the Police present verifiable evidence confirming the charges brought against it, as it is obvious that it is about defaming the dog in order to hang it. It is important to note that due process was scrupulously followed throughout the exercise and the Commission wishes to reaffirm its authority to exercise full control over recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force.

“The commission also insists that its list of successful candidates and the list prepared by the police be subjected to a forensic audit using the results of the JAMB computer-based test.

The Supreme Court’s judgment delivered on July 11, 2023 in NPF & Ors v Police Service Commission & Anor (2023) – LPELR-60782 (SC) strengthens the Commission’s “exclusive” statutory powers to recruit police officers. The Supreme Court confirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeal of September 30, 2020.

“The Court of Appeal made, inter alia, an order of ‘Life injunction restraining the Defendants, jointly or individually, by themselves or through any officers, agents or representatives, or through any other authority or person designated by the Federal Government of Nigeria, from further exercising or appointing, promoting, dismissing or otherwise exercising disciplinary control over persons holding or aspiring to hold any position in the Nigeria Police, other than Inspector General of Police. He also issued an order quashing any act or attempt by the respondents, whether acting jointly or severally, in appointing or purporting to appoint any person to the position of 1st Respondent, whether by means of recruitment, shortlisting, exploratory recruitment or any other manner such an act or attempt ultra vires the functions and powers of the Defendants.”

Ani said the Supreme Court also issued a declaration “that any action or attempt by the Defendants in the appointment, recruitment and/or shortlisting of persons applying for a position in the Nigeria Police Force except the Office of the Inspector General of Police is tantamount to with an unlawful and unjustified usurpation of the Plaintiff’s exclusive constitutional and statutory functions and powers and is therefore void and of no effect whatsoever.”

He noted that the above judgment did not attribute a role to any person or persons outside the Commission in conducting the recruitment and therefore any claims in this regard amounted to serious contempt of court.

He said that the Commission, out of its wisdom, invited relevant stakeholders to the Board for the recruitment process to ensure inclusivity and transparency, adding that this generosity has since been misinterpreted.

“It must be stated that the judgment and even the Constitution did not give the Police any role in the process of recruiting any cadre of officers to the Police. It is unfortunate that the Police attribute their apparent failure to protect lives and property and protect our nation from banditry and terrorism to poor recruitment.

“This claim is self-incriminating and provocative. Since 2019, when the Police forcibly took away the Commission’s exercises, it has been acting contrary to the provisions of the law addressed to the Superintendent during the exercises in 2020 and 2021. It is the rogue recruits they introduced into the system during this exercise who are now harassing the Nigerian Police,” he said.

He said the Commission was aware that the current brazen show of force by the police, accompanied by false allegations, was aimed at consolidating its control over police recruitment, even in defiance of the Supreme Court judgment.

Ani stated that the claim of recruiting people who will commit suicide and who are deaf and mute is vile and ridiculous.

“During recruitment exercises, medical and physical examinations are carried out by Police employees, so in the case of recruiting deaf and mute people and people with suicidal tendencies into the Service, the Police personnel who checked and recommended them should be responsible,” he said. .

He added that the Commission is aware that all these disruptions are calculated attempts by the Police to maintain the recruitment of policemen at all costs despite the Supreme Court judgment.

The Commission, therefore, appealed to Mr. President to protect it and rein in the Nigerian Police to respect the Commission’s constitutional mandate on recruitment.

Stating that the Nigeria Police Force was established to enforce the law and not to circumvent it in any form, Ani said it was the considered opinion of the Commission that successful candidates should be given the opportunity to pursue training without delay.

Ikechukwu Aleke