The Commission demands that the Police should provide verifiable evidence to prove the allegations peddled against it as it is obvious that it is a case of giving a dog a bad name to hang it.
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – Following allegations by the Nigeria Police Force that the recruitment of constables conducted by the Police Service Commission (PSC) was flawed, the commission has challenged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to provide verifiable evidence to back the claim.
Last Saturday, force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the force will not accept the recruits of the commission because “several names of persons purported to be names of successful candidates are those who did not even apply and therefore did not take part in the recruitment exercise.”
In a swift reaction, the Joint Union Congress of the PSC denied the allegations, while calling for the removal of the IGP Egbetokun.
In a press briefing on Thursday, Egbetokun denied having scores to settle with the PSC, explaining that he was only in ensuring qualified people are recruited into the force.
Responding on Friday, in a statement signed by its Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, PSC said the allegations by the police was aimed at giving it a bad name.
It stated, “The Commission has studied the issues around this successfully concluded recruitment exercise and has come to the conclusion that even after the Supreme Court Judgment, the Police is reluctant to allow the Commission perform this constitutional assignment. The Commission demands that the Police should provide verifiable evidence to prove the allegations peddled against it as it is obvious that it is a case of giving a dog a bad name to hang it.
“The Commission, however, had, in its wisdom, invited relevant stakeholders into a Board for the recruitment exercise to ensure inclusiveness and transparency. This magnanimity has since been misconstrued. It is relevant to state that the judgment and even the Constitution did not give the Police any role in the recruitment of any cadre of Officers into the Police Force.”
It continued, “It is unfortunate that the Police has attributed its obvious failure to protect lives and properties and safeguard our nation from banditry and terrorism to bad recruitment. This claim is self-indicting and provocative. Since 2019 when the Police forcefully snatched the exercise from the Commission, they have gone ahead against the provisions of the law to Superintendent over the 2020 and 2021 exercises. It is the fraudulent Recruits they brought into the system during these exercises that are currently haunting the Nigeria Police Force.
“The Commission is aware that this current brazen show of power by the Police with attendant spurious allegations is to perpetuate their stranglehold on the recruitment of Constables, even against the judgment of the Supreme Court.
“The Commission wishes to appeal to Mr. President to protect it and rein in the Nigeria Police Force to respect the Constitutional Mandate of the Commission to recruit. The Nigeria Police Force is created to enforce the law and not to circumvent it in whatever guise.
“It is the considered opinion of the Commission that the successful candidates should be allowed to proceed on training without delay.”