Police misconduct caused #EndSARS protest, says PSC chairman

The Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), Musiliu Smith on
Tuesday attributed last year’s #EndSARS protest that broke out in
several major cities across the country to the misconduct of
officers of the Nigeria Police Force.

Smith, a former Inspector General of Police, said this in Abuja
at a retreat with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Muhammed
Adamu and police management team.

He decried the level of misconduct in the police force saying
his office is always filled with complaints from Nigerians.

He called on the IGP to work closely with the Commission on the
recruitment of credible Nigerians into the Force.

Smith said: “We are always having a lot of complains from
members of the public against police officers. I believe that
#EndSARS resulted from serious misconduct of some of our
personnel.

“I want to advise that we review the arrangements we are making
for investigating such cases. It should be such that let’s ensure
that investigations are thoroughly conducted and whoever is the
police officer that has been indicted will be punished according to
the law. If we are doing that, some of the public complaints will
go down”.

The PSC boss added the number of cases against the police were
alarming, adding that the force may not be able the pay for the
damages which were awarded against it.

IGP Adamu noted the retreat was to bridge the communication gap
and engender a better understanding and working between it and the
police service commission.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of
Justice, Abubukar Malami, harped on the needs for a harmonious
working relationship between all agencies of government for the
betterment of the country.

The Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), Musiliu Smith on
Tuesday attributed last year’s #EndSARS protest that broke out in
several major cities across the country to the misconduct of
officers of the Nigeria Police Force.

Smith, a former Inspector General of Police, said this in Abuja
at a retreat with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Muhammed
Adamu and police management team.

He decried the level of misconduct in the police force saying
his office is always filled with complaints from Nigerians.

He called on the IGP to work closely with the Commission on the
recruitment of credible Nigerians into the Force.

Smith said: “We are always having a lot of complains from
members of the public against police officers. I believe that
#EndSARS resulted from serious misconduct of some of our
personnel.

“I want to advise that we review the arrangements we are making
for investigating such cases. It should be such that let’s ensure
that investigations are thoroughly conducted and whoever is the
police officer that has been indicted will be punished according to
the law. If we are doing that, some of the public complaints will
go down”.

The PSC boss added the number of cases against the police were
alarming, adding that the force may not be able the pay for the
damages which were awarded against it.

IGP Adamu noted the retreat was to bridge the communication gap
and engender a better understanding and working between it and the
police service commission.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of
Justice, Abubukar Malami, harped on the needs for a harmonious
working relationship between all agencies of government for the
betterment of the country.