Police recruitment: Court adjourns for PSC to respond to AGF’s application

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned till
November 20 for the Police Service Commission to respond to the
Attorney-General of the Federation’s counter-affidavit in a suit to
stop the recruitment of 10, 000 police officers.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, who adjourned the case on the instance of
the PSC, said the development was to allow its counsel, Chief Kanu
Agabi, SAN, to respond to the counter-affidavit.

Justice Ekwo, therefore, adjourned till Nov. 20 for continuation
of the matter.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PSC had taken
the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to court over the recruitment of
10,000 constables.

In the motion on notice filed on Sept. 24, the commission is
praying the court for an order of interlocutory injunction
restraining the defendants from ”appointing, recruiting or
attempting to appoint or recruit by any means whatsoever any person
into any office by the NPF pending the hearing and determination of
the substantive suit.”

While the PSC is the plaintiff, the Inspector-General of Police,
Muhammed Adamu, the NPF and the AGF are defendants in the case.

Justice Ekwo had, on Nov. 4, ordered the parties in the case to
maintain the status quo in respect of the earlier interim order
issued against the recruitment.

NAN reports that on Oct. 23, the judge ordered parties in the
suit challenging the recruitment to stay any action in the
interim.

Ekwo held that this was necessary since parties have submitted
themselves to court for settlement of the matter.

The judge gave the order after Counsel for the PSC, Barth Ogar,
who held brief for Agabi, told Justice Ekwo that in spite of the
court’s order restraining the I-G from continuing with the
recruitment, the police had gone ahead with the process.

“My Lord, the police have gone ahead to carry out the
recruitment exercise in spite of the court’s order.

”The recruited officers have been asked to report to various
Police Training Schools in the country,’’ he said. (NAN)

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