Recruitment War Tears Police Service Commission and Police Force Apart

By Damola Emmanuel

The cold war brewing between the Police Service Commission, PSC, and the Nigeria Police high command over who has the right to recruit new cops spiked neared boiling point, Wednesday, as the gladiators stuck to their guns.

Earlier in the week, the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, had issued a rebuttal through the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, alerting the public that it had not commenced the 2022 Police constables’ recruitment contrary to a publication by the PSC calling for applications.

However, the PSC, through its spokesman, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, rubbished that, insisting that the commission was going ahead with the recruitment exercise.

The Commission had no intention of shirking its constitutional responsibility of recruiting qualified Nigerians into the Nigeria Police Force, Ani posited.

His words: “The Commission is the only legal body charged with the responsibilities of recruitment into all the three entry points in the Nigeria Police Force, Constable, Cadet Inspector and Cadet Assistant Superintendents of Police.

“The Commission wishes to state that its recruitment portal, which opened on Monday, August 15, 2022 is still running with over 60,000 applications already received. The portal will close on September 26, 2022. Interested Nigerians should continue to avail themselves of this opportunity to pursue a career in the Nigeria Police Force.

“The Commission has no intention to abdicate its constitutional mandate to recruit Nigerians into the Police Force.

“The Plenary will also consider promotion examinations for Police Officers in line with the provisions of the Public Service Rules and to ensure that merit is entrenched in the conduct of Police promotions.

“The Commission will continue to work to improve the overall performance in the Nigeria Police and will also continue to provide the necessary platform for collaboration between the two Agencies of government.

“The Police Service Commission wishes to state that the Chairman and the Management of the Commission have continued to work to protect the Constitutional mandate of the Commission especially as regards the dispute between the Commission and the Nigeria Police Force over who has the power of recruitment.”