PSC tackles IG over 6,000 new constables’ recruitment

The Police Service Commission has protested the decision of the
Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to recruit 6,000
constables without recourse to it.

SUNDAY reports that the Permanent Secretary of the commission,
Istifanus Fuktur, wrote a strongly-worded protest letter to Idris,
for allegedly sidelining the agency.

It was further gathered that the letter was sent to the IG on
Wednesday last week after the advert for the recruitment exercise
was published in some newspapers.

A senior official of the commission, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, confided in our correspondent on Saturday that the
office of the IG ignored an earlier warning from the PSC to stay
action on the publication.

He said, “When we learnt that the advert would be published by
the IG’s office, the Permanent Secretary, PSC, called the Deputy
Inspector-General, in charge of Training and warned him against
publishing the advert, but he ignored the warning.”

Our correspondent gathered that the DIG Training, Emmanuel
Inyang, was reportedly summoned by the chairman of the PSC, Chief
Mike Okiro, over the police action.

The source added that the IG did not inform the commission about
the planned recruitment, neither did he seek its consent before
placing the advert in newspapers, asking suitable candidates to
apply to join the police.

He insisted that the commission was statutorily empowered to
recruit, discipline and promote policemen in the force, noting that
the IG had no power to conduct recruitment into the police.

Another commission official, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, also told our correspondent that the PSC had directed
the IG to withdraw the recruitment announcement, but added that he
had yet to respond to the directive.

The source said, “The Chairman summoned the DIG Training on the
day the advert was published and the commission also wrote a
strongly worded letter to the IG asking him to withdraw the advert.
We reminded him that the commission and the police have been
meeting on the planned recruitment and that we agreed that no
advert would come out until the president gives approval. Now, the
president has not given approval for the recruitment exercise.”

However, our reporter also gathered that President Muhammadu
Buhari had approved the recruitment of 6,000 constables in
principle, but the funding for the exercise had not been finalised
by the Ministry of Finance.

It was learnt that the President was still expecting the budget
figure for the recruitment and had not authorised the police to
announce the recruitment exercise.

The source said, “The commission chairman had earlier written to
the ministers of finance, budget and national planning, asking them
to look at the commission’s proposal for recruitment and recommend
funding options and revert back to him on or before February 19,
2018, so that he can properly advise Mr. President.”

Okiro confirmed through the PSC spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, that
6,000 constables would be recruited and declined to speak
further.

“I can confirm that we are recruiting 6,000 constables into the
force,” he said on the telephone.

The Force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, could not be reached for
comments, but a senior police officer said the IG had received the
mandate of Buhari to carry out the recruitment.

The source noted that the President had specifically written the
police boss on the issue.

“The commission was only trying to arm-twist us. The IG received
a letter from the president, asking him to carry out the exercise;
so, we won’t bow to any intimidation by the commission,” the
officer said.

The Police Service Commission has protested the decision of the
Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to recruit 6,000
constables without recourse to it.

SUNDAY reports that the Permanent Secretary of the commission,
Istifanus Fuktur, wrote a strongly-worded protest letter to Idris,
for allegedly sidelining the agency.

It was further gathered that the letter was sent to the IG on
Wednesday last week after the advert for the recruitment exercise
was published in some newspapers.

A senior official of the commission, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, confided in our correspondent on Saturday that the
office of the IG ignored an earlier warning from the PSC to stay
action on the publication.

He said, “When we learnt that the advert would be published by
the IG’s office, the Permanent Secretary, PSC, called the Deputy
Inspector-General, in charge of Training and warned him against
publishing the advert, but he ignored the warning.”

Our correspondent gathered that the DIG Training, Emmanuel
Inyang, was reportedly summoned by the chairman of the PSC, Chief
Mike Okiro, over the police action.

The source added that the IG did not inform the commission about
the planned recruitment, neither did he seek its consent before
placing the advert in newspapers, asking suitable candidates to
apply to join the police.

He insisted that the commission was statutorily empowered to
recruit, discipline and promote policemen in the force, noting that
the IG had no power to conduct recruitment into the police.

Another commission official, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, also told our correspondent that the PSC had directed
the IG to withdraw the recruitment announcement, but added that he
had yet to respond to the directive.

The source said, “The Chairman summoned the DIG Training on the
day the advert was published and the commission also wrote a
strongly worded letter to the IG asking him to withdraw the advert.
We reminded him that the commission and the police have been
meeting on the planned recruitment and that we agreed that no
advert would come out until the president gives approval. Now, the
president has not given approval for the recruitment exercise.”

However, our reporter also gathered that President Muhammadu
Buhari had approved the recruitment of 6,000 constables in
principle, but the funding for the exercise had not been finalised
by the Ministry of Finance.

It was learnt that the President was still expecting the budget
figure for the recruitment and had not authorised the police to
announce the recruitment exercise.

The source said, “The commission chairman had earlier written to
the ministers of finance, budget and national planning, asking them
to look at the commission’s proposal for recruitment and recommend
funding options and revert back to him on or before February 19,
2018, so that he can properly advise Mr. President.”

Okiro confirmed through the PSC spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, that
6,000 constables would be recruited and declined to speak
further.

“I can confirm that we are recruiting 6,000 constables into the
force,” he said on the telephone.

The Force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, could not be reached for
comments, but a senior police officer said the IG had received the
mandate of Buhari to carry out the recruitment.

The source noted that the President had specifically written the
police boss on the issue.

“The commission was only trying to arm-twist us. The IG received
a letter from the president, asking him to carry out the exercise;
so, we won’t bow to any intimidation by the commission,” the
officer said.