The Police Service Commission (PSC) has accused Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu of hijacking the on-going recruitment of constables. The allegation, which betrays the power tussle between the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and its supervising parastatal, is contained in an interview which PSC Commissioner, Austin Braimoh, granted The PUNCH.

Braimoh in the interview published this morning of Monday, September 16, 2019, narrated how the IGP and the NPF have frustrated all efforts to amicably resolve the issue and also accused IGP Adamu of being rude to PSC Chairman, Alhaji Musliu Smith, a former IGP.

“It is not the business of the police to recruit. It is a constitutional issue. What the police are cashing on is that the Police Regulations of 1945, according to them, had not been repealed. But unfortunately, they are not hinging that on the rule of law. What we want to do is to go to court and get the interpretation of the law. The police regulation, in the absence of the Police Service Commission, derived its power from the Nigeria Police Council headed by the President and comprising the governors of the 36 states. The council had the power to recruit and promote personnel, as well as to superintend over the Nigeria Police Force until the Police Service Commission Act came into being in 2001. Then all the powers of the Nigeria Police Council were transferred to the commission,” Braimoh said.

Condemning the attitude of IGP Adamu, Braimoh said: “The IG has grossly disrespected the Police Service Commission. He has not only treated the commission very badly, but also used certain words on the Chairman of the commission, who is a retired IG and the commissioners. He has said so many things to us, but we are not going to be emotional about this. We are very mature Nigerians. We want to follow the constitution and see how the issues can be resolved.”

The PSC Commissioner disclosed that the Commission is expecting the Presidency to wade into the matter and call the IGP and NPF to order.

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