* Suspends promotions, freezes delegated powers to
police
Following recriminations arising from the feud between the
Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission (PSC) over
the recruitment of 10,000 constables approved by President
Muhammadu Buhari, the commission has dragged the Inspector General
of Police (IG), Adamu Mohammed, to court.
The PSC has also suspended all promotion exercises in the
police. The promotion of the Lagos State Commissioner for Police
Mu’azu Zubairu and others are also caught up in the web.
The commission has also withdrawn all delegated powers to the
police, including discipline and promotion of rank and file up to
inspectorate cadre.
A competent source told THISDAY that the commission has filed a
law suit seeking a restraining order barring the IG from usurping
the powers of the commission.
The suit is also seeking the interpretation of the powers of the
commission to handle recruitment, promotion, discipline and other
constitutional powers of the commission.
“The process has already been filed for a restraining order
barring the IG from exercising the powers of the commission. We
also want the court to give an interpretation as regards the powers
of the commission in the constitution. The IG would be served by
Monday.
“All promotions in the police have been suspended. All delegated
powers of discipline, promotion of rank and file up to the rank of
inspector have been withdrawn,” the source said.
The two organisations are contesting who has the statutory
powers to recruit 10,000 constables recently approved by President
Buhari.
The commission had frowned upon the list compiled by the NPF
without its involvement, the body that has the constitutional
mandate for appointment.
The IG is said to be contending that based on the Police Act as
presently obtainable, the power of recruitment is vested in the
Nigeria Police, while the PSC argues that it is statutorily
empowered to perform the function of recruitment of policemen.
Following the disagreement, the PSC recently suspended the
recruitment exercise it earlier embarked upon insisting that the
alleged interference by the police was an affront on the
constitution.
“It is the constitutional responsibility of the commission to
recruit Nigerians into the Force, whether as constables, cadet
inspectors or cadet ASPs, and the commission is not ready to
abdicate this very important mandate,” a statement by spokesman of
the commission, Ikechukwu Ani, had said
The PSC Chapter of the Nigerian Civil Service Union (NCSU) had
penultimate week shut down offices of the commission pending when
the commission meets its demands part of which was that all
delegated powers of the commission to the police be withdrawn while
a court interpretation be sought regarding the constitutional
powers of the commission.
The union had in a statement said: “Understanding that the
matter at stake is the interpretation of the words, ‘recruitment
and appointment’, it is not in doubt that the matter has been the
subject of contention overtime, which has since been settled in
favour of the commission as far back as 2003 under the chairmanship
of Simon Okeke.
“The congress, therefore, mandated the commission to refer to
that document of interpretation by Justice Kanu Agabi, which we
know is in the possession of the commission and as a matter of
utmost urgency proceed for legal interpretation at the Supreme
Court to put the matter to a final rest.”
Subscribe ToNairalaw News!
Read more psc-drags-ig-to-court-over-usurpation-of-powers/