PSC asks police to change uniforms of special constabularies over unprofessional conduct

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has urged the police to have the uniforms of the special constabulary changed from the regular ones to differentiate the two.

It noted that the special constabulary was a creation by the Police Act but not recognised by law and the Commission.

The call for a change of uniforms followed reports of unprofessionalism by some officers of the Kano State Special Constabulary, especially some repentant criminals recruited into the Force, which reached the PSC.

A statement by the Head, Press and Publicity, Ikechukwu Ani, said the Commission was already in touch with the Kano State Police Command over the issue.

He said: “The attention of the Police Service Commission has been drawn to the operations of the Special Constabulary in Kano State, especially the issue of repentant criminals said to have been recruited into the organisation.

“The Commission, however, notes that the Constabulary operations are covered and recognised by the Police Act and are readily useful and needed now that the nation is fighting to end the siege of criminals across the country.

“The Commission is in touch with the Kano State Police Command and is aware that the use of the Constabulary is to support the police in building a crime-free Kano State.

“It is necessary to state that the men and women recruited as Special Constabulary are posted to work in their locality where they will be in a better position to fish out the criminals terrorising the place. Some of the repentant influential youths previously used in the past as political thugs and abandoned have realised that crime does not pay and have voluntarily offered themselves to assist in curbing crime in the state.”

Chairman of the Commission, a former Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Solomon Arase, said the Commission would continue to partner with the police to ensure an improved security of lives and property in the country.

Arase noted that security is not only a government responsibility but that of every Nigerian and called for a citizen-based approach to security in Nigeria.

He, however, said that the Commission, in consultation with the Inspector-General of Police, would ensure that the uniforms of the Constabularies are clearly differentiated from that of the Nigeria Police Force to avoid cases of identity crisis and also define their specific roles in the security architecture of the nation.”