…Says police officers must be held accountable
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the dismissal of three senior police officers over cases of serious misconduct, even as the Commission approved the reduction in ranks of five others found wanting in the conduct of their official duties.
PSC Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, who made this known in a press statement, on Friday in Abuja, said the decisions were some of the highlights of the Commission’s 21st Plenary Meeting which came to an end on Thursday, July 20, at the Commission’s Corporate Headquarters in Jabi, Abuja and chaired by the Commission’s Chairman, IGP Solomon Arase (retd.).
He said the dismissed police officers were two Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) and one Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), just as one Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), one Superintendent (SP), one Deputy Superintendent (DSP), and two Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs), were reduced in ranks for misconduct.
Ani further stated that, “Fourteen officers got the punishment of severe reprimand, six, reprimand and seven others, letters of warning.
“The Commission also reinstated six dismissed officers who got favourable court judgements or a review of their cases.”
The spokesper9sn noted that, “The Commission had earlier on Wednesday, July 18, approved the appointment of two Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs): Mathew Akinyosola, who retired on July 1, this year and Sylvester Abiodun Alabi whose tenure started on the same July 1, 2023 and now representing the South West in the Police Management Team.
“The Commission had also approved the promotion of the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).”
Similarly, the Commission approved the promotion of 14,052 Inspectors of Police who attended the last Departmental Selection Board promotion interview to the next rank of Assistant Superintendents of Police (unconfirmed).
Ani listed some of the new ASP 1 to include: Fransica Njoku, Ebonyi State Command; Benjamin Justina, Rivers State Command; Nnamdi Nwoba, Abia State Command; Joseph Arinze, Zonal CID, Zone 9 Headquarters Umuahia; Mohammed Lawal and Adamu Hassan.
He added that ASP Edo Stephen Ameh of FCT Command; and ASP Abubakar Musa also of FCT Command were among the 9,016 unconfirmed ASPs that were confirmed by the Plenary.
The spokesperson said the Commission’s chairman assured that PSC would continue to hold police officers accountable for their conducts/misconduct, as well as ensure that pending disciplinary matters would receive urgent attention at all times so that officers are not unduly stagnated.
Arase also pledged to continue to give inspiring leadership that would attract commensurate commitment and dedication to duty by the officers.
