Uncertainty Over Police Recruitment As PSC Workers’ Strike Lingers

The ongoing police recruitment of 10, 000 constables is currently hinging in the balance as the fight for right of recruitment between the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Nigeria Police Force continues.

While the police warned Nigerians against the recruitment, the PSC asked Nigerians to continue applying.

This is even as the Joint Union Congress of the Police Service Commission yesterday, continued their protest to drive home their demand over a breach of agreement between the police and the commission.

The union had on August 28, embarked on indefinite strike to demand the return of police constable recruitment to the commission as stated in the law and pronounced by the Appeal court.

Speaking at the protest yesterday, the chairman of the Joint Service Union, PSC chapter,  Adoyi Adoyi said the chairman of the PSC, Musiliu Smith and the inspector-general of police, Usman Baba and other police chiefs have connived to  overruled the constitutional duty of the PSC.

Adoyi said the IGP allegedly took it upon himself to carry out the functions of the PSC in flagrant disregard of the Nigeria constitution, a verdict of the Appeal Court and the authorities of the PSC.

He stated that “The duties of the PSC are spelt out in the constitution as stated in paragraph 30, part 1 of the 3rd schedule of the constitution, which states that the commission has power to appoint persons to offices in the Nigeria police force other than the office of the inspector-general of police and dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over persons holding any office referred to sub-paragraph (a) above.

“But the IGP has disregarded all of that, and has taken over the duties of the commission. He appoints and promotes at will as opposed to what is stated in the constitution.

“According to the constitution, the appointment, promotion, and recruitment of police officers and constables are the prerogative of the PSC, not the IGP.”

The union also stated that they would continue to dialogue up until the situation is reversed to the right position.

However, when the spokesperson of the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani was called to react to the strike, protest and request of the staff, he declined comment.