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Tag: PSC

  • Hushpuppi: IGP submits report on suspended DCP Abba Kyari to PSC six months after FBI indictment

    Hushpuppi: IGP submits report on suspended DCP Abba Kyari to PSC six months after FBI indictment

    Indications emerged on Sunday that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Baba has finally submitted disciplinary recommendations on the alleged role of the suspended Head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) Abba Kyari a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) to the Police.

    The submission to the Service Commission (PSC) was months after he received the report of the probe panel. Kyari was investigated for his alleged role in a $1.1 million internet scam carried out by an Instagram influencer, Abbas Ramon (aka Hushpuppi) and four others.

    The probe followed Kyari’s indictment by the United States (U.S.) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which recommended that the cop be extradited to the U.S. to face trial.

    A member of the PSC, Braimoh Adogame Austin said the commission will start deliberations on the issue this week.

    The Dubai Police in the United Arab Emirates had in June 2020 arrested Hushpuppi and his gang. They were later extradited to the US for prosecution by the FBI.

    The FBI Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, had alleged that Hushpuppi contracted the services of Kyari after a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Vincent, allegedly threatened to expose the alleged $1.1m fraud committed against a Qatari businessman.

    Kyari had taken to Facebook on July 29, 2021 to deny the allegations, but he later deleted the post after editing it about 12 times.

    The IG had recommended the suspension of Kyari, which the PSC carried out on July 31.

    The police boss had on August 2 constituted the Special Investigation Panel, headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, to probe the allegations.

    Submitting the panels’ report on August 26, Egbunike described it “as an outcome of a painstaking, transparent and exhaustive investigative process.”

    He revealed that the report contained the case file of the probe, evidence and findings as well as testimonies from Kyari and other persons and groups linked to the matter.

    Police Affairs Minister Maigari Dingyadi had on September 14, 2021, during a television interview said the findings and recommendations on Kyari had been submitted to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), for “legal opinion” and thereafter for presentation to the President, Muhammadu Buhari, adding that the final decision would be taken by the PSC.

    The recommendations of the FDC will inform the commission’s decision and also determine Kyari’s future in the force.

    Austin said: “The IGP has submitted Abba Kyari’s report to the PSC and deliberations on the matter will commence this week. I can’t tell you when it was submitted but it’s now with the commission.”

  • FBI indictment: More headaches for DCP Kyari as PSC slams another suspension

    FBI indictment: More headaches for DCP Kyari as PSC slams another suspension

    …barely five hours after IGP suspended him

    More troubles for super cop Abba Kyari as Police Service Commission, PSC slammed him another suspension barely five hours after the Inspector General of Police ordered same.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports this latest suspension is coming barely five hours after office of the IGP instituted a probe into the activities of the super cop.

    In a statement signed by Head, Pubic Relations of the Commission, the IGP was directed to furnish PSC on fresh developments on the matter.

    Read full statement below:

    POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION

    PRESS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT

    PRESS RELEASE

    FBI INDICTMENT:PSC SUSPENDS DCP ABBA KYARI, DIRECTS IGP TO FURNISH IT WITH INFORMATION ON FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS

    The Police Service Commission has suspended Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head, Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force from the exercise of the Powers and functions of his office.

    Abba Kyari’s suspension took effect from Saturday, July 31st 2021 and would subsist pending the outcome of the investigation in respect of his indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States.

    The Commission has also directed the Inspector General of Police to furnish it with information on further development on the matter for necessary further action.

    The Commission’s decision which was conveyed in a letter with reference, PSC/POL/D/153/vol/V/138 to the Inspector General of Police today, Sunday, August 1st, 2021, was signed by Hon. Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court and Honourable Commissioner 1 in the Commission for the Commission’s Chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police who is currently on leave.

    Ikechukwu Ani
    Head, Press and Public Relations
    Sunday, August 1st, 2021

  • COVID-19 Third Wave: PSC issues warnings to INEC, others as political events pick up nationwide

    COVID-19 Third Wave: PSC issues warnings to INEC, others as political events pick up nationwide

    Following the recent confirmation of more cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in several states and the continued rising number of infections and hospitalization across the country, the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 (PSC), has called on all political parties, State governments, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC) to ensure strict compliance to the COVID-19 protocols in the conduct of all political events in the country.

    Political mass gatherings serve as super-spreaders events for the propagation of COVID-19 infection in our communities. Such events must be carefully controlled to ensure maximum public safety in terms of the risk of transmitting the infection among the vulnerable population.

    In line with this, the PSC through its chairman, Boss Mustapha, has reiterated the significance of the publicized INEC policy on the conduct of political events and the Code of Conduct for Voters and Political Parties within the context of COVID-19.

    In his communique on Friday, Mr. Mustapha who also serves as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) cautioned all political parties to institute public health and social measures in all locations where political events will occur.

    These measures include:

    i. Mandatory use of face masks for everyone attending these political events. Persons without face masks should not be allowed access to the venues

    ii. Hand hygiene facilities including soap and water/ hand sanitizers should be made available for people before gaining access to the venues

    iii. Enclosed venues should be adequately ventilated and must not exceed 50% of venue capacity (a minimum of 2 metres should be observed among people at the gathering).

    iv. If essential, multiple locations or time-slotting should be used with appropriate numbers of people to enable adequate physical distancing in each gathering per time.

    The PSC called upon all Political Parties, INEC, and SIECs to ensure and enforce compliance to the extent possible of these provisions and other safety measures to protect the Nigerian population.

  • BREAKING: Ex-EFCC chair, Magu missing as PSC promotes 24 CPs to AIG rank

    BREAKING: Ex-EFCC chair, Magu missing as PSC promotes 24 CPs to AIG rank

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved promotion of 24 Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police.

    It however declined promotion of former acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Commissioner of Police (CP), Ibrahim Magu.

    The Commission’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, disclosed these in a statement on Thursday titled: ‘PSC promotes 24 CPs, 35 DCPs, 52 ACPs, 50 CSPs, drops Ibrahim Magu’.

    According to him, the decisions were high points of the Commission’s 12th Plenary Meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday presided over by Commission’s chairman, Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police.

    He said: “The Commission declined the promotion of CP Magu pending clearance from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the Office of the Inspector General of Police”.

    Magu, who served as acting chairman of the EFCC from 2015 to 2020, was rejected twice by the Senate for confirmation.

  • Just in: PSC promotes 20,356 Senior Police Officers [See names]

    Just in: PSC promotes 20,356 Senior Police Officers [See names]

    The Police Service Commission has approved the promotion of 20,356 Senior Police Officers.

    The promotion was one of the decisions of the 11th Plenary Meeting of the Commission held in Abuja on January 25, 2021 and presided over by its Chairman, Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police.

    Nine Commissioners of Police were promoted to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police and another nine promoted from the rank of Deputy Commissioner to Commissioners of Police.

    The Commission also approved the promotion of three Chief Superintendents to Assistant Commissioners of Police, 1,577 Deputy Superintendents to Superintendents of Police and 2,293 Assistant Superintendents to Deputy Superintendents of Police.

    It also approved the promotion/confirmation of 7,283 unconfirmed Assistant Superintendents (ASP11) to Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP1), 9,072 Inspectors to Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP11) and 110 Inspectors promoted to Senior Inspectors.

    The new Assistant Inspectors General are: Aminu Saleh Pai, former Commissioner of Police, Kwara and Bayelsa States Commands, former Force Quarter Master General and currently the Executive Secretary, Police Multi Purpose Cooperative Society, Lagos; Dasuki Danbappa Galadanchi, former Commissioner of Police/Executive Secretary, Police Multi Purpose Cooperative Society, Lagos and presently acting AIG Force CID Annex, Lagos; Okon Etim Ene, former Commissioner of Police Benue and Abia States Commands, CP SARS and currently CP Explosive Ordinance Disposal, Force Headquarters; and Abang B. John, former Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command and presently Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command.

    Others are Joseph Gobum Mukan, former CP, Airport Command, Lagos and currently CP Rivers State; Aji Ali Janga, former CP Kaduna and Kogi States Commands and currently CP Sokoto; Mukaddas Mohammed Garba, presently CP Benue State Command; Habu Sani Ahmadu, former CP, IGP Monitoring Unit, CP Intelligence, Force Headquarters and CP Bauchi State Command and presently CP Kano State; and Imohimi D. Edgal, former Commissioner of Police Lagos and Akwa Ibom States Commands.

    The nine DCPs promoted to CPs are Abubakar Adamau Alhaji, presently DCP Operations, Rivers State; Benjami Nebolisa Okolo, currently at the National Defence College, Abuja; Abdul-Yari Laffia Shuyamu, presently DCP, Finance and Administration, Taraba State Command; Oyediran Adesoye Oyeyemi, DCP State CIID, Ebonyi State; Samaila Shu’aibu Dikko, DCP State CIID, Adamawa State; and Jimwan David Dazong, DCP Zonal CIID, Zone 12 Bauchi.

    Others are Monday Bala Kuryas, DCP Operations, Ondo State; Hussaini Rabiu, DCP, Operations Imo State; and Rabi Umar, former Assistant Force Secretary and presently DCP, Force Education, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

    The three Chief Superintendents of Police promoted to Assistant Commissioners of Police are Gotom Tijani Richard, Joseph Kaide O and Giade Sabo Abubaka.

    Some of the DSPs promoted to SPs are Ani Gospel Obichi, Federal Intelligence Bureau, Zone 7 headquarters Abuja; Rabe Lawal, Zone 1, Kano; Ibrahim Abubakar, Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja; Mbachi Raluchukwu, DCO, Ikirike Police Station, Enugu; Anjuguri Jesse Manza, former PPRO FCT and currently with CP Monitoring and Mentoring Unit, FCT Command; Maduka Benedeth, O/C JWC, Awkaunanaw Division, Enugu State; Aneto Ephraim, O/C Works, Abia State Command; Obi-Ejoh Nnamdi Patrick, DCO, Wuse Division, FCT; Felix Ekpoudom, DCO, Eket Division, Akwa Ibom State Command; Collins Nwanjoku, Divisional Transport Officer, 9th Mile, Enugu Command; Adamu Shaba Gboyako, Government House, Imo State; Ihunwo Josephine, O/C Anti-Human Kidnapping, Zone 13, Anambra State; Onalaja Oluwafemi O, Communications, Force Headquarters; and Diala Christian, attached to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund.

    Promoted ASPs to DSPs include Uche Chigbu, Special Anti Cult Unit, Asaba, Delta State; Auwalu Bala Yakubu, Operations, Gombe State; Edward Imaobong Force CIID, Anti Fraud Unit, Force Headquarters.; Hassan Hamidu, Bauchi State Command; Godson Nwosu, Bayelsa State Command; Oyinloye Ayonde, Oyo State Command; and Onalo Michael, Police Staff College, Jos.

    Some of the newly promoted ASP11 are Steven Onihana, Zone 2, Lagos; Christiana Johson; Hussan Hussaini Sarauta Mohammed; Agbodike Dorothy; and Idakwo Ezekiel.

    Smith, called on the newly promoted Officers to see their new positions as a call to more commitment to the duty.

    He noted that the Commission will continue to ensure that promotions are regular and based on the relevant rules and regulations.

  • We didn’t threaten to sack policemen who fail to return to work – PSC

    We didn’t threaten to sack policemen who fail to return to work – PSC

    The Police Service Commission, PSC, on Saturday denounced reports that it threatened to sack police officers who failed to return to work in the aftermath of #EndSARS violence in the country.

    A statement issued by Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations, PSC, said the attention of the commission had been drawn to a publication in one of the dailies reporting that it would dismiss Police officers who failed to return to work.

    “The Police Service Commission wishes to state that it did not any time say Police men who refused to get back to work will be dismissed.

    “The Commission had condemned the killing of Police officers on legitimate duties and had warned that any attempt to make the country lawless will be an ill-wind that will blow no body any good.

    “The Commission can only plead with the officers to in the spirit of nationalism return to work while Government works out enough protective programmes for them,” it said.

    The statement added that the Commission would continue to do its best to ensure the police were motivated to do its job.

    It added that the Commission being the employers of the Police was pained that policemen were killed and stations set ablaze throughout the country.

    “It will be very insensitive at this point for anyone to say that the Commission will dismiss any police man who didn’t return to work.

    “The Commission is even at present mourning the deaths of it’s gallant officers who were killed in the crisis,” it said.

  • #EndSARS violence: Return to duty posts or face dismissal, PSC warns absconding officers

    #EndSARS violence: Return to duty posts or face dismissal, PSC warns absconding officers

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has warned officers of the Nigeria Police Force to return to their duty posts nationwide or face dismissal.

    Recall that TheNewsGuru.com, TNG in an investigative story on Wednesday reported the conspicuous absence of law enforcement agencies and traffic officers including the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, (LASTMA) and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officials on major roads in Lagos.

    A two-day tour of the fifteen out of the twenty local governments in the state by TNG correspondents showed that the police, LASTMA and other agencies were conspicuously absent on the road, a development believed to have been caused by the fallout of the #EndSARS violence. This development led to gridlocks on major highways with thousands of commuters stranded.

    Riot policemen had also failed to respond to incidents of looting and vandalism of public and private property by miscreants in defiance of a directive by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, ordering them to reclaim the public space from hoodlums.

    Senior officers had expressed fear for their lives, saying their security was not guaranteed hence their decision to stay away from work.

    Reacting, the PSC frowned on the refusal of some policemen to return to their duty posts following the killing of about 22 cops during the violence that broke out in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests across the country.

    The PSC said Public Service Rules, which also applies to members of the Nigeria Police Force, prescribes dismissal for any officer that deserted his job, while admonishing them to put the killing of their colleagues behind them.

    The PSC stressed that policemen did not deserve to be killed and should in fact be protected as fellow human beings, but it however noted that the attack on them by hoodlums should not be an excuse for them to stay away from work.

    PSC spokesperson, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, said the attacks on the police were not good for the country “because when you make Nigeria lawless and ungovernable, there would be a situation nobody would be able to control.”

    He cautioned against further attacks on law enforcement agents, describing such incidents as an ill-wind that could lead to anarchy.

    He added, “It would be an ill-wind that blows nobody any good but it is not a reason for anybody to say he won’t go to work. If you don’t go to work, the Public Service Rules will take its course.”

    Section 030402 of the Public Service Rules lists absence from duty without leave as serious misconduct, which can be investigated and if proved, may lead to dismissal.

    Meanwhile, the Chairman of PSC, Musiliu Smith, has urged the police to rejig their anti-crime strategies, assuring officers and men of the Force of improved welfare.

    He spoke on Thursday when he inspected some of the damaged police formations in the Lagos State Command alongside some retired senior officers.

    A statement on Friday by the police spokesperson in Lagos State, SP Muyiwa Adejobi, said Smith called for “thorough investigation into all the cases recorded during the crisis. He emphasised that officers and men of the command should take the ugly incident as one of the challenges and hazards of police job in a developing country like ours.”

  • PSC directs IGP to handover ongoing recruitment of policemen

    PSC directs IGP to handover ongoing recruitment of policemen

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has directed the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, handover the on-going 2020 recruitment exercise of police constables into the Nigeria Police Force and Cadets into the Nigeria Police Academy in compliance with the Order of the Court of Appeal.

    This was according to a statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations of the Commission, IKechukwu Ani, on Friday.

    Ani said the Commission’s directive was contained in a letter to the IGP signed by the Chairman of the Commission, Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police and dated October 20th, 2020.

    The PSC had last year dragged the IGP and others to the Federal High Court in Abuja last year over the recruitment of 10,000 police constables into the Force.

    The court had ruled in the defendants’ favour saying it was the duty of the IGP to carry out the recruitment.

    The Commission had headed for the Court of Appeal, which on September 30, 2020, overturned the lower court’s decision, saying it was the Commission’s responsibility, thereby nullifying the ongoing process of the recruitment into the Force.

    The IGP has already headed for the Supreme Court.

  • #OndoDecides2020: PSC ranks police conducts ‘above average’

    #OndoDecides2020: PSC ranks police conducts ‘above average’

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has ranked the conducts of policemen on electoral duties at the Governorship election in Ondo as above average.

    In a statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, the Commission’s team visited 12 local government areas in the three Senatorial districts of the state, covering 77 polling units.

    Ani said the team received a total of 51 telephone calls from its advertised dedicated lines with complaints basically on attempts to induce voters.

    “There was reasonable distribution of Police men at the various polling units ranging from three to about 12 depending on the size of the Unit.

    “The Police men were complemented in virtually all the polling units by men of the Department of State Security, (DSS,) Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSDC) Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC)and the joint task force of Mobile Police men and the Military that manned major highways and junctions in the state.

    “The Commission’s team noticed a high population of Police Officers of Inspector rank in most of the Polling units but could not immediately ascertain the reason for using such high Calibre of officers to man the polling units.

    “The Police were civil, polite and respectful and arrived early at the place of assignments.

    “The Commission’s team ran into an Officer with f/no 454246 at one of the polling units in Okitipupa who politely rejected monetary inducement to the tune of N50,000 to allow thumb printing for voters who failed to turn up for voting.

    “The Commission will investigate further this commendable conduct of the officer and if confirmed to be true, will consider rewarding him as it will equally visit disciplinary measure on those found wanting.

    “The Commission commends the leadership of the Police who managed the security architecture in Ondo State led by DIG Leye Oyebade and supported by AIG Hosea Karma and Command CP Bolaji Salami.

    “The Commission will continue to monitor the conduct of Police Officers on election duties as its contribution to sustaining the nation’s evolving democracy.”

  • JUST IN: PSC dismisses 10 senior police officers, reduces rank of eight others

    JUST IN: PSC dismisses 10 senior police officers, reduces rank of eight others

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has dismissed 10 senior police officers and reduced the rank of eight others over various cases of misconduct in the line of duty.

    This was disclosed in a statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations, of the Commission, Ikechukwu Ani, on Monday.

    Ani said the decision was taken at the 8th plenary meeting of the Commission, which spanned three weeks and ended on Wednesday, July 1st, 2020.

    Although the statement did not name those affected, it revealed the dismissed officers were one Superintendent of Police (SP), five Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP) and four Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP).

    “A deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) were reduced in rank, a decision which also affected four Superintendents of Police (SP), one Deputy Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of Police.

    “The Commission also approved the punishment of severe reprimand for 16 Officers, reprimand for 13 and letters of warning to four others. Two Officers are to receive Letters of advice while eleven were exonerated.

    “The Commission in Plenary looked into eighty three disciplinary cases which included eighteen appeals and petitions.

    “The Commission had also at the Plenary approved the promotions of 6,618 senior Police Officers including one AIG to DIG, four CPs to AIG and three DCPs to CPs,” the statement reads.