Police Promotion Not Based On Ethnic Considerations — PSC Tells Ohaneze

The Police Service Commission (PSC) on Sunday said the promotion
of policemen is not based on ethnic considerations.

The Commission was reacting to comments credited to the
leadership of the OHANAEZE Ndigbo, a pan Igbo Socio Cultural group,
on the recent promotions into different offices of the Nigeria
Police Force and specifically as it affected promotions into the
office of Commissioner of Police.

Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement
said promotions of senior police officers including promotion into
the office of Commissioner of Police are based on availability of
vacancies, seniority, free of any pending disciplinary matter and
merit except in few cases of special promotion.

The statement reads, “The OHANAEZE noted that only one Igbo son
was promoted to the rank of CP in the recent exercise and that all
Commissioners of Police in the South East are Northerners. It also
observed that not many Igbo Officers are in the high echelon of the
Force.

“The Commission holds the OHANAEZE and it’s leadership in high
esteem and will wish to clarify its position in the Promotion and
placement of senior Police officers.

“The Commission wishes to state that Promotions of senior Police
Officers including Promotion into the office of Commissioner of
Police are based on availability of vacancies, seniority, free of
any pending disciplinary matter and merit except in few cases of
special promotion. Even for special promotion, there are laid down
rules, regulations and conditions which an Officer must satisfy
such as; must have stayed two years in a rank; must not have had
any special

Promotion in the immediate past five years and must not have a
pending disciplinary matter, (PDM).

“The Commission also allows the Inspector General of Police who
is the operational head of the Police to recommend qualified and
deserving Officers to the Commission for Promotion. This is a
synergy the Commission has forged with the Police to ensure
complementarity in the management of it’s Officers.

“The Commission do not and has never approved Promotion of any
Police Officer based on ethnic or any other consideration except
the ones stated above.

“It is also important to state that it is not true that Command
Commissioners of Police in the South East are all from the North.
The CPs for Imo, Abia and Anambra states Commands are not
Northerners. Only the CPs for Enugu and Ebonyi are from the North
just as there are Igbo CPs in other Zones. The CP for Bayelsa and
Oyo States are Igbos. There are also many other Igbo sons who are
Commissioners of Police of different Police formations in the
country.

“It is also not true that not many Igbo Officers are in the high
echelon of the Force. Just recently, an Igbo son, former
Commissioner of Police in charge of Police Budget who was promoted
a Deputy Inspector General of Police was deployed as DIG A, that is
overseeing Administration and Finance, a very sensitive Department
in the Police Management team.

“The Commission wishes to assure the leadership of the OHANAEZE
Ndigbo that it will at no time consciously marginalize any section
of the country in the Promotion and deployment of senior Police
Officers. The Commission will continue to be guided by the
established rules guiding Promotions in the police and in the
larger interest of the Nigerian nation.”

The Police Service Commission (PSC) on Sunday said the promotion
of policemen is not based on ethnic considerations.

The Commission was reacting to comments credited to the
leadership of the OHANAEZE Ndigbo, a pan Igbo Socio Cultural group,
on the recent promotions into different offices of the Nigeria
Police Force and specifically as it affected promotions into the
office of Commissioner of Police.

Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement
said promotions of senior police officers including promotion into
the office of Commissioner of Police are based on availability of
vacancies, seniority, free of any pending disciplinary matter and
merit except in few cases of special promotion.

The statement reads, “The OHANAEZE noted that only one Igbo son
was promoted to the rank of CP in the recent exercise and that all
Commissioners of Police in the South East are Northerners. It also
observed that not many Igbo Officers are in the high echelon of the
Force.

“The Commission holds the OHANAEZE and it’s leadership in high
esteem and will wish to clarify its position in the Promotion and
placement of senior Police officers.

“The Commission wishes to state that Promotions of senior Police
Officers including Promotion into the office of Commissioner of
Police are based on availability of vacancies, seniority, free of
any pending disciplinary matter and merit except in few cases of
special promotion. Even for special promotion, there are laid down
rules, regulations and conditions which an Officer must satisfy
such as; must have stayed two years in a rank; must not have had
any special

Promotion in the immediate past five years and must not have a
pending disciplinary matter, (PDM).

“The Commission also allows the Inspector General of Police who
is the operational head of the Police to recommend qualified and
deserving Officers to the Commission for Promotion. This is a
synergy the Commission has forged with the Police to ensure
complementarity in the management of it’s Officers.

“The Commission do not and has never approved Promotion of any
Police Officer based on ethnic or any other consideration except
the ones stated above.

“It is also important to state that it is not true that Command
Commissioners of Police in the South East are all from the North.
The CPs for Imo, Abia and Anambra states Commands are not
Northerners. Only the CPs for Enugu and Ebonyi are from the North
just as there are Igbo CPs in other Zones. The CP for Bayelsa and
Oyo States are Igbos. There are also many other Igbo sons who are
Commissioners of Police of different Police formations in the
country.

“It is also not true that not many Igbo Officers are in the high
echelon of the Force. Just recently, an Igbo son, former
Commissioner of Police in charge of Police Budget who was promoted
a Deputy Inspector General of Police was deployed as DIG A, that is
overseeing Administration and Finance, a very sensitive Department
in the Police Management team.

“The Commission wishes to assure the leadership of the OHANAEZE
Ndigbo that it will at no time consciously marginalize any section
of the country in the Promotion and deployment of senior Police
Officers. The Commission will continue to be guided by the
established rules guiding Promotions in the police and in the
larger interest of the Nigerian nation.”