PSC, Police fight gets messier as commission insists on recruitment

The fight between the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Nigeria Police high command is getting dirtier as the body has gone ahead with the recruitment of prospective applicants.

A fresh cold war had set in between the Nigeria Police high command and the Police Service Commission (PSC), over the recruitment of police constables.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) issued a statement a few days ago, signed by the Force PRO, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, informing well-meaning members of the public that it has not commenced the 2022 Police constables’ recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force contrary to a publication by PSC calling for application.

But the PSC spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani insisted today that the commission would go ahead with the recruitment.

Ani noted that the Commission has no intention to abdicate its constitutional mandate to recruit Nigerians into the Police Force.

According to him, “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.”