The Police Service Commission, under the leadership of former Inspector General of Police, Dr. Solomon Arase, retd, and the incumbent IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, have commenced a joint investigation into allegations by some aggrieved police personnel that PSC working in partnership with officers at Force headquarters were collecting bribes to the tune of $10,000 for promotion.

A source at the PSC disclosed that the decision to embark on a joint investigation followed the fact that both officials of the commission and the Police Force Secretary department were fingered in the allegation.

The source said: “You know Dr. Arase is a no nonsense senior officer who was acclaimed for ensuring that justice is done with regards to promotions in the Nigerian Police force during his time as IGP.

”In fact, his recent call on the Police management to address issues of pending disciplinary cases, so that the backlog would not affect officers due for promotions, is in that light.

“So the investigations have commenced to get to the root of the matter and soon, you will hear the outcome because nothing will be swept under the carpet.”

Recall that the aggrieved police officers had in a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, pleaded with him to institute an investigation into alleged collection of $10,000 bribe for police promotion, noting that it had resulted in a situation where junior officers were promoted over and above their seniors to cause disaffection in the force.

The officers said there was an urgent need for President Buhari to look into the promotion going on in the force.

A statement by one Mr Chijioke Okonkwo on behalf of other officers, in Akure, the Ondo State capital, had noted that there were a lot of corrupt practices and injustices going on in the force which needed the attention of the Presidency.

The petition read: “There is serious corruption in the Nigeria Police in the ongoing promotion of senior police officers. Junior ones are being given special promotions ahead of their seniors.

“Of recent, two aides of a senior officer, who were earlier promoted to Chief Superintendent of Police in year 2018, recently benefited from the special promotion to the rank of Assistant Commissioner and have their date of promotion backdated to 13/07/2021.

Arase, Okiro, Onovo, Ehindero, Abba & Alkali meet

Meanwhile, Chairman Police Service Commission, Dr. Arase and four former Inspectors General of Police, including Mike Mbama Okiro, Mr. Gabriel Sunday Ehindero, Mr Ogbonna Onovo, Mr. Suleiman Abba as well as the Inspector General of Police, IGP Alkali- Baba, yesterday held a meeting on the state of the Nigerian Police force.

At the meeting which held at the permanent site of the Police Service Commission, PSC, Jabi, Abuja, former IGP Sunday Ehindero who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said the meeting deliberated on contemporary problems affecting the Police force. (Vanguard: Text, excluding headline)

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