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Tag: PSC

  • Police reject constables recruitment list released by PSC

    Police reject constables recruitment list released by PSC

    The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has rejected the 2022/23 police constables recruitment list released by the Police Service Commission (PSC).

    In a statement released by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, the NPF said the police constables recruitment list is flooded with non-applicants, and that the recruitment process was riddled with corruption.

    The Police has, therefore, dissociated itself from the published list and called for a review that will be transparent and credible.

    The statement reads in full below:

    The Nigeria Police Force has raised alarm on the irregularities and alleged corruption of the recently released names of successful candidates in the ongoing 2022/23 Police Constables Recruitment Exercise. This became necessary upon being inundated with a series of complaints and allegations of corruption raised by unsuspecting candidates and stakeholders on the irregularities that marred the exercise most especially the disappearance of the names of screened candidates who were successful to the last stage.

    Upon careful scrutiny of the list released on the PSC portal, it was discovered that

    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) or the physical screening exercise or both.

    iii) There are those who made it to the last stage of the exercise but were disqualified having been found Medically unfit through the standardised 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.

    The Inspector General of Police had on 10th June 2024 written a letter of objection to the list addressed to the Chairman of the Commission, citing the discoveries listed above. The reaction of the IGP was without prejudice to the power of the Commission to recruit for the police as ruled by the Supreme court but this power does not include 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. The same people who recruited anyhow for the police today will turn round to accuse the police tomorrow of inefficiency when their recruits start messing up.

    The Police therefore has since dissociated itself from the published list and called for a review that will be transparent and credible.

    It will be recalled that the leadership of the Police Service Commission, after the pronouncement of the Supreme Court ruling on the powers of the Commission to recruit for the Police, constituted a Joint Recruitment Board, to be headed by one of the Commissioners of the PSC, with the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Training and Development in the Police Force as its Secretary. But surprisingly, the Board was crippled and never allowed to carry out its mandate, insomuch that even the final list was not consented to by the Board.

    The Nigeria Police Force therefore takes exception to this unpleasant development and calls for a total review of the process with a view to recruiting qualified, competent, trainable and productive hands into the Nigeria Police Force, in line with the vision of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led administration on police reform.

    The NPF hereby reiterates that we are not unconcerned about the plights and ordeals of prospective recruits, who have been subjected to all forms of rigorous screening exercise, assuring that it is our commitment to ensure that the process is thoroughly reviewed, stands fruitful and successful for the betterment of the Nigeria Police, and by extension the country.

  • Police yet to fix date for recruits training – PSC

    Police yet to fix date for recruits training – PSC

    The Police Service Commission (PSC), says  it has not fixed date for training of the recently shortlisted candidates for recruitment into the Constable cadre of the Nigeria Police Force.

    The Head of Press and Public Relations of PSC, Mr Ikechukwu Ani said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

    He said the training dates being speculated on  social media were fictitious and  should be ignored.

    According to him, the commission has  been inundated  by calls and messages by concerned Nigerians on the authenticity of the dates in the public space.

    “The commission is currently, working with the Nigeria Police Force to determine the training colleges and will make a formal announcement at the appropriate time,” he said.

    He urged  successful candidates to wait for the official announcement of the date and  the colleges for the exercise.

  • PSC appoints Abubakar as DIG, promotes 122 other senior officers

    PSC appoints Abubakar as DIG, promotes 122 other senior officers

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the appointment of Mr Yahaya Abubakar as Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), and the promotion of 122 senior police officers.

    The Head of Press and Public Relations of PSC, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

    Ani said until his appointment as a DIG, Abubakar was the AIG in charge of Zone 14 Katsina.

    He said the new DIG would represent the Northeast Geopolitical zone in the Police Management Team, replacing Mr Habu Sani who recently retired as DIG Force Intelligence Bureau.

    Ani said the 122 other senior police officers promoted were 10 Commissioners of Police (CP) to the next rank of AIG and 15 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP) to CP.

    The PSC spokesman said 36 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP) to DCP and 61 Chief Superintendents of Police (CSP) to ACP were also elevated.

    He said the decisions were taken at the extraordinary Management Meeting of the Commission, presided over by the Chairman, Dr. Solomon Arase.

    According to him, the 15 DCPs, 10 CPs and the newly appointed DIG appeared before the commission in session for the compulsory interactive promotion interview, a requirement for their promotion.

    Ani said the PSC boss urged the officers to embrace the revolution in Information and Communication Technology,  in charting out pathways for effective policing and internal security management.

    He said Arase enjoined  officers to be genuinely committed to their sacred responsibility of securing the country by effectively protecting lives and property, preventing and containing crimes and criminality across the nation.

    The spokesman said the PSC boss pledged the readiness of the commission to ensure that promotion of officers and men were regular and predictable.

    Ani said the CPs promoted to AIG were Ahmed Ammani, Mohammed Adamu, Gumel Usaini, Hamzat Ayinde, Okuoma Basil, Achinyan Fera, Baba Ibrahim, Mohammed Isyaku, and Margaret Ochalla.

  • Police recruitment: Commission shortlists applicants for CBT

    Police recruitment: Commission shortlists applicants for CBT

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has shortlisted 171,956 candidates for Computer Based Test (CBT) in the ongoing recruitment process for applicants seeking employment into Constable cadre of the Nigeria Police.

    A statement on Thursday in Abuja by Mr Ikechukwu Ani, the Head of Press and Public Relations of PSC, said the CBT would hold on March 5.

    He said the candidates for the CBT were those who emerged successful in the just concluded credentials and physical screening exercise held nationwide.

    According to him, the 171,956 candidates for the aptitude tests are applicants for general duty positions.

    He said 43,778 other applicants who were successful from the specialists cadre during the screening exercise would go through practical tests at a date to be announced later.

    “The commission, after a meeting of the Police Recruitment Board, approved that the CBT be conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, because of its long standing pedigree in such examinations.

    “For the General Duty cadre, 315, 114 applicants were invited for the screening exercise out of which 171,956 were successful and shortlisted for the CBT.

    “The 171,956 applicants shortlisted are made up of 25,818 females and 146,138 males,” he said.

    He said Kaduna State would be presenting the highest number of candidates for the tests with 12,343 followed by Bauchi with 10,911; Benue, 10,532, and Katsina,10,457.

    According to him, Anambra has the least candidates for the aptitude tests with 343 applicants followed by Lagos, 504 and Ebonyi, 600.

    He said successful candidates from the CBT would be required to appear for medical examinations before proceeding for training

    Ani pledged the commitment of the PSC Chairman, Dr Solomon Arase to conclude the exercise on time to quickly inject the successful candidates into the system.

  • PSC approves appointment, deployment of 10 CPs

    PSC approves appointment, deployment of 10 CPs

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the appointment and deployment of 10 Commissioners of Police (CPs) to various commands in the country.

    Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, the Head of Press and Public Relations of PSC, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Ani said the appointment and deployment followed the promotion of 14 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) to the rank of CP.

    He said the newly-appointed CPs include Peter Opara, Osun; Olughemiga Adesina, Benue; Akinwale Adeniran, Ekiti; Mohammed Abba, Adamawa; Beneth Igwe, FCT, and Abaniwonda Olufemi, Delta.

    Others are Ademola Ayilara, Akwa Ibom; David Iloyanomon, Taraba; Abayomi Peter, Ondo State, and Hassan Yabnet, Plateau.

    Ani said the PSC Chairman, Dr Solomon Arase, had called on the newly-deployed CPs to rebuild public trust in the police through robust partnership.

    Arase warned that the commission would not accept any excuse for failure in delivering effective and efficient leadership.

    He pledged the commitment of the commission to continue to encourage the CPs, but warned that the security of lives and properties in their areas of jurisdiction should not be taken for granted.

  • PSC appoints DIG, promotes 1,897 senior officers

    PSC appoints DIG, promotes 1,897 senior officers

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the appointment of Mr Dasuki Galadanci as Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), and the promotion of 1,897 senior polices officers.

    Mr Ikechukwu Ani, the Head of Press and Public Relations of PSC, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said the new DIG, appointed to represent the North West Geopolitical zone, was the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) incharge of Zone 12 Bauchi, before the appointment.

    Ani said Galadanci would replace Mr Ibrahim Ka’oje, the DIG representing the zone, who will retire on Feb. 2.

    He said the commission elevated 14 Commissioners of Police to the rank of AIG; 21 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP) to Commissioners, and 20 Assistant Commissioners (ACP) of Police to DCP.

    According to him, one of the commissioners for promotion to AIG was, however, stepped down to enable the commission review pending disciplinary matters against him.

    He said the newly promoted AIGs are Yetunde Longe, Haruna Garba, Tajudeen Abass, Rex Dundun, Durosinmi Olatoye and Afolabi Adeniyi.

    Others are Abiodun Asabi, Julius Okoro, George Chuku, Paul Omata, Yusuf Akeem, Bzigu Dali, Idris Nagoyo, and Ogundare Emmanuel.

    The PSC spokesman also said 109 Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs) were promoted to ACP while 184 Superintendents of Police were elevated to the rank of CSP.

    He added that the commission also approved the promotion  of 1,549  Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP) to Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP).

    Ani said the approval had been conveyed to the Inspector-General of Police for implementation.

    He aid the Chairman of PSC, Dr Solomon Arase, who presided over the commission’s management meeting, urged the promoted officers to quickly settle down to their new ranks “and go forth and win the war against banditry, kidnapping and violent crimes in the country.”

    He said the nation was facing an avoidable unprecedented wave of criminal assaults on all fronts and expressed the commission’s dissatisfaction over the trend of events.

    Arase, therefore, enjoined the officers to crime-map their various areas of responsibility for quick and decisive intervention.

    He said the officers must engage in predictive policing to mitigate the activities of criminal gangs mauruding across the lenght and breadth of the country.

    “As senior officers, you must be held responsible for any relapse in the security apparatus of the nation.

    “You must see your new ranks as a call to greater dedication to the service of your fatherland,” the PSC chairman added.

  • Court hammers IGP, PSC, others with N200m fine over unlawful arrest of housewife

    Court hammers IGP, PSC, others with N200m fine over unlawful arrest of housewife

    Justice Ntong Ntong, the presiding judge at the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo, has ordered the Inspector General of Police, the Police Service Commission, and three others to pay Peace Ekom Robert, a housewife in Uyo, the sum of N200 million as damages for her unlawful arrest and detention.

    This judgment was delivered on Tuesday in a case where Mrs. Ekom sought the enforcement of her fundamental human rights.

    According to the details of the case, Mrs. Ekom was approached by Ifenyinwa Anthonia Olua in March this year.

    Olua asked Mrs. Ekom to help her connect with someone in Europe who could purchase euros and pay her in Naira.

    An amount of £55,000 (equivalent to N42.9m) was transferred to a Spanish account.

    The sudden and successive transfers raised suspicion, and the Spanish authorities restricted the account, suspecting it could contain illicit funds.

    As a result, the Police arrested the applicant.

    The Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Administration, Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja, Mr. Babazango Ibrahim, DSP Yusuf Dauda of Anti-Homicide Section in Alagbon, Lagos, Inspector Celestina Ugbaja of Special Fraud Unit in Ikoyi, Lagos, and the Police Service Commission were all named as respondents in the lawsuit.

    In a one-hour judgment, the presiding judge, Justice Ntong Ntong said he had “read in between lines the record file and has not seen where the Inspector General of Police and other respondents filed any process to challenge the averments of the applicant.”

    Justice Ntong said the evidence before the Court showed that “the Police threw caution to the wind and became law unto themselves thereby bastardizing the 1999 constitution, disrespecting the order of the Court and treating the name of God and office of the President and Commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with disdain.”

    The Court also ordered the Inspector General of Police and five other “respondents to return the N15m collected from the applicant to the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, Abuja pending the hearing and final determination of the criminal charge against the applicant before the Federal High Court.”

    The trial judge held that the Police were not “a debt recovery agency and has no power to have extorted N15m from the applicant in a matter they have not concluded investigation nor the applicant tried and found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.”

    The applicant’s counsel, Uwemedimo Nwoko, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, referred to the Court as the last hope for the common man.

    The respondent’s counsel, Barr. Akebong Essien, argued that his client had done nothing wrong by reporting the matter to the Police.

    Despite the judgment, the Police had still not properly arraigned the applicant, who had been in their custody since March of that year.

  • JUST IN: PSC compulsorily retires 4 DIGs for violating police rule

    JUST IN: PSC compulsorily retires 4 DIGs for violating police rule

    The Police Service Commission has ordered four senior Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, Dan-Mallam Mohammed, Moses Jitiboh, Hafiz Inuwa and Adeleke Bode to immediately proceed on compulsory retirement for failing to retire following the appointment of their colleague, Olukayode Egbetokun, as the acting Inspector-General of Police.

    The PSC, however, approved the appointment of four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, Ibrahim Ka’oje, Daniel Sokari-Pedro, Ayuba Ekpeji and Usman Nagogo to the rank of DIGs pending ratification by the board of the commission to replace the retired DIGs.

    The spokesperson for the commission, Ikechukwu Ani, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja on Monday, noting that the PSC gave the order in the exercise of its statutory powers pursuant to the Third Schedule, Part 1 M, para A&B of the 1999 Constitution, reinforced with Section 6 of the PSC (Establisment) Act 2001, para a, c, d, e, & f.

    He explained that the order became imperative because the PSC had expected those DIGs who were seniors in rank prior to Egbetokun’s appointment as IG, to voluntarily retire, adding that such expected application was in consonance with the revered tradition of discipline and regimented culture of the Nigeria Police Force.

    Ani said, “In the wake of the appointment of the acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun on June 19, 2023 by Mr President, the Commission had expected in consonance with the revered tradition of discipline and regimented culture of the Nigeria Police Force that those DIGS who were seniors in rank prior to his elevation will voluntarily apply for retirement or elect to leave the Force.

    “The Commission, having waited for ample time with no such application from any of them, took the decision to compulsorily retire them in order to uphold discipline which is the bedrock of the Force, and to discourage status reversal which is inherently inimical to the exercise of authority by the Inspector General.”

    The newly appointed DIGs, who are without pending disciplinary matters and/or without any serious medical conditions and health impairments, according to Ani, were drawn from the same respective geo-political regions of the retired ones.

  • PSC dismisses 3 senior police officers, demotes 9 others

    PSC dismisses 3 senior police officers, demotes 9 others

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the dismissal of three senior police officers over cases of misconduct and abuse of office.

    Mr Ikechukwu Ani,  Head of Press and Public Relations of the commission, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

    He said the commission also approved reduction in rank of nine other officers, including a Commissioner of Police.

    According to him, the commission took the decisions during its 21st Plenary Meeting, presided over by Justice Clara Ogunbiyi, the Commissioner representing the Judiciary in the commission.

    Ani said Ogunbiyi presided over the meeting on behalf of the Chairman, Dr Solomon Arase ,who later joined the meeting via zoom.

    The PSC spokesman said the commission also approved the compulsory retirement of an Assistant Commissioner of Police  and  directed a refund of all entitlements wrongly paid to him.

    He added that the commission approved posthumous promotion of late Insp. Ifeanyi Oroke,to the next rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police 2 for acts of gallantry.

    Ani said the commission also reinstated a  dismissed officer , one Insp.  Augustina Oko,with effect from the date she was dismissed.

    “The  commission also approved the punishment of severe reprimand for 16 officers, reprimand for 18 others and directed that letters of warning be given to two other officers.

    “The commission had earlier approved the appeal for adjustment on the date of promotion of Mr Woke Kingsley to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police and reinstatement of Mr Anaele Onuoha, a Chief Superintendent of Police, in compliance with a court judgment,” he said.

  • Court orders PSC to pay rtd AIG Mbu N40m general damages

    Court orders PSC to pay rtd AIG Mbu N40m general damages

    The National Industrial Court on Monday ordered the Police Service Commission ( PSC), to pay retired AIG Mbu Joseph Mbu, the sum of N40 million as general damages.

    The payment as ordered by justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae, was for the unlawful retirement of Mbu before he attained the mandatory age of 60 years.

    ” I hold that the claimant’s premature retirement through a press release on July 2, 2016 is unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect”.

    The court in addition set aside the purported retirement and declared that the claimant remained an officer of the Nigeria Police Force ( NPF), until he attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 on May 10, 2018.

    Furthermore, the court ordered the defendant to pay Mbu his salaries, allowances and entitlement from July 2, 2016 when he was retired until May 10, 2018 when he ought to have retired having attained 60 years.

    The judge while delivering the judgment ordered that the sum of N750,000 be paid to the claimant as cost of the suit, stating that failure of the defendant to comply with the orders of the court within 30 days will attract a 10 per cent interest per annum.

    The court, however, declined the relief of promotion to the position of a DIG and reinstatement sought by the claimant.

    This, the court explained cannot be sustained as the claimant had reached the mandatory retirement age on May 10, 2018 when the suit was pending.

    From facts, the claimant, Mbu instituted the suit against the commission over his alleged compulsory retirement on July 2, 2016, when he was the commandant of the Police Staff College.

    In his statement of facts, he stated that he was born May 10, 1958, and joined the police on Dec. 11, 1985, and had not reached the mandatory retirement age of 60, nor had he spent 35 years in service before he was retired in 2016.

    The claimant had therefore sought, amongst other reliefs, an order of the court to invalidate his retirement, which he claimed was done via a press release as he was never served statutory notice of retirement.

    He also sought for an order of the court directing the defendant to pay his salaries, allowances and other entitlements from July 2016 to 2018, when he would have been due for retirement.

    He also sought for payment of his terminal benefits, N500 million as general damages and N20 million as cost of the suit.

    The defendant on its part through processes stated that the claimant was not retired through press release, but that he was pulled out from the force in a ceremonial event.

    The defendant equally averred that promotion in the force is not automatic and that the claimant did not meet some of the requirements for promotion.

    According to the defendant the reorganisation in NPF at the time of the claimant’s retirement followed due process and the claimant was not the only person affected.

    The court in its judgment stated that although the defendant abandoned it case by failing to show up in court to conduct its defence, the action did not exonerate the claimant from the burden to proof his case.

    The judge submitted that pleadings are not synonymous to evidence as the defendant was never in court regardless of several hearing notices served.

    Obaseki-Osaghae in addition stated that the defendant was deemed to have abandoned its case as the claimant’s submissions were not contested.

    She said that the claimant having proven his case on its strength through credible evidence without relying on the weakness of the defendant’s, was entitled to some of the reliefs he sought.