PSC bars police officers from investigating land, marital matters

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has restricted officers in criminal investigations and barred them from delving into civil matters, especially land, rent, and marital disputes.

PSC Chairman, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Hasimu Argungu (rtd), issued this warning, stating that the police should allow the civil courts to handle these duties and avoid usurpation.

PSC spokesperson Ikechukwu Ani quoted the Chairman as saying, “Serving police officers who are found involved in civil matters such as land, rent and marital disputes will henceforth be sanctioned and their promotions suspended.”

Argungu, who noted that the failure of the Police Force would inevitably reflect on the Commission, said the PSC will no longer tolerate serious abuse of office by serving officers. He made these remarks while receiving a delegation from the Justice Research Institute led by Mr Ade Ipaye.

The PSC Chairman declared his commitment to running a transparent, open, and corruption-free administration within the Commission, stressing that all funds received and spent by the Commission must be accounted for.

He asserted, “I will never spare thieves wherever I am. We are here to assist the government in fighting corruption. I arrive at work before 8:00 a.m. and am the last person to leave the office; that is leadership,” he said.

“I have not changed and will never change; I know that leadership is everything. My mandate is not to come here to embezzle money; I must ensure transparency and openness, and I will fight to the last.”

The PSC boss assured the visiting team that the Commission would partner with them through training to expose staff to local and international training opportunities.

In response, Ipaye expressed his pleasure at having a partner in the PSC Chairman who is determined to fight corruption, adding that transparency in government has always been a rare commodity.

He stated that they were at the Commission to help drive its constitutional mandate to improve the workings of the Police Force. Ipaye, a former Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice said they will provide opportunities for the Commission’s staff to be trained to understand their role as a supervisory body of the Nigeria Police Force.