The Police Service Commission (PSC) said it had promoted 9,973 policemen in 2017.

The Chairman of the commission, Mr Mike Okiro, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

He said that two commissioners of police and 13 Deputy Commissioners of police were promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) and commissioners respectively within the period under review.

The chairman said that 41 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP) and 54 Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) were also elevated to Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP) and ACP respectively.

He said that the period under review also witnessed the elevation of 52 Superintendent of Police (SP) and 513 Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to the rank of CSP and SP.

According to Okiro, Other categories of officers promoted are: 3,365 Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and 5,933 Inspectors to the rank of DSP and ASP respectively.

On discipline, he said that 118 cases were received, 42 treated while 76 appeals and petitions were still pending.

Okiro said that under his administration, officers were promoted to the next rank when they are due.

He said that the Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Ibrahim Idris, inherited 1,500 disciplinary matters that affected the promotions of officers which the commission intervened.

The chairman noted that some people took advantage of the disciplinary matters to stagnate the promotions of some officers they don’t like.

He advised policemen to be committed to their duty, diligent in the prosecution of cases and adhere to the rules and regulations guiding the operation of the Police.

On special promotion, he said that officers who sacrificed their lives to protect the lives and property of Nigerians would always be rewarded with special promotion.

However, he said that special promotion had to do with exceptional feat and not the routine duty.

“The issue of special promotion cannot be overlooked in the Nigeria Police Force. Some officers put their lives on the line to protect the lives and property of other citizens.

“A situation where an officer sacrifices his or her live should be rewarded, honoured and encouraged but it should be done transparently for other people to see,” he said.

He explained that the I-G who deals with such officers on a daily basis, recommends such officers to the commission for approval.

“Once we receive such recommendations, we will send it back to the I-G to confirm the gallantry. Apart from that we do not promote officers just because they bear certain names,” he said.

He said that adherence to guidelines and Federal character was one of the strategies that worked for the commission in the recruitment of the 10,000 policemen in 2016.

“Federal character was followed strictly to avoid complaint from the public,” he said.

He said that additional educational qualification does not qualify a serving officer for promotion in the force.

The chairman added that the force only recognise the qualification of an officer at the point of entry into the force.

“If any officer acquires additional qualification, that will be for his personal use,” he said.

He advised policemen to be committed to their duty and adhere to the rules and regulations guiding the operations of the Force. (NAN)

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