The Police Service Commission (PSC) has again accused the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) of abusing their powers and breaching ethical standards in the ongoing conflict over the recruitment of police constables.
The PSC, in a statement by its spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, highlighted violations of public service rules, disregard for a Supreme Court ruling and attempts to undermine the commission’s constitutional mandate.
The commission also called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure that the NPF respects its legal boundaries in the recruitment process.
It expressed concerns over recent developments in the recruitment of Constables into the Force following the release of a list of successful candidates.
The commission condemned the release of a confidential letter from the Inspector General of Police to the media, describing it as a gross violation of public service rules.
It also noted that since 2019, it has been obstructed from performing its constitutional duty of overseeing police recruitment despite a Supreme Court ruling in its favour.
The PSC accused the police of using intimidation tactics and employing media campaigns to undermine its authority. It further called for verifiable evidence to support allegations made against it and emphasised that due process was followed throughout the recruitment exercise.
The commission also demanded a forensic audit of its list of successful candidates and that of the Police, using results from the JAMB computer-based test.
It reiterated the Supreme Court’s ruling, which affirms the PSC’s exclusive authority in recruiting constables, and criticised the police for attributing their operational failures to bad recruitment practices.
The PSC urged Tinubu to intervene and ensure the police respect the commission’s constitutional mandate, while stressing that the successful candidates should be allowed to proceed with their training without further delay.
