Recruitment crisis: IG’s fight with police commission gets messier

* Adamu orders DIG not to respond to query
* …asks PSC chiefs to return official SUVs
* We have AGF support, says IG’s aide
* You’re wrong, lawyers tell police boss

The battle between the Nigeria Police Force leadership and the
Police Service Commission is becoming messier as the
Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has told the PSC that
it has no powers to query the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police,
Punch report.

Sunday PUNCH learnt on Saturday that the IG pointedly informed
the PSC in a letter that the DIGs were not under its control,
contrary to the Police Service Commission Establishment Act
2001.

Among other functions, the Act says the PSC “shall be
responsible for the appointment and promotion of persons to offices
(other than the office of the Inspector-General of Police) in the
Nigeria Police Force; dismiss and exercise disciplinary control
over persons (other than the IG) and formulate policies and
guidelines for the appointment, promotion, discipline and dismissal
of officers of the Nigeria Police Force.”

Findings indicated that the IG’s letter was informed by the
query issued by the PSC to the DIG in charge of Training and
Development, Yakubu Jubrin, for alleged misconduct some weeks
ago.

An impeccable source disclosed that Adamu responded to the query
on behalf of Jubrin, stating that the commission could not issue
queries to the DIG.

Following the police’s insistence on recruiting 10,000
constables on the grounds that it was their constitutional right
the commission had queried Jubrin for releasing the names of
successful candidates and inviting them for medical screening
without its permission.

The source said, “Are you aware that we queried the DIG,
Training and Development, for misconduct? Well, the IG responded on
his behalf, saying the DIG was not under the commission and that he
(DIG) was working on his (IG) instructions. The DIG was supposed to
have retired from service on October 1, but we learnt that he is
still coming to work in uniform.”

The official added, “The commission has frozen promotions and
retirements in the police until the disagreement with the force is
resolved. This means all retiring police officers cannot process
their benefits because they have to obtain letters of retirement
from the commission. Everything has stalled on account of this
crisis and nobody in the government is saying anything.”

One of our correspondents also learnt that the IG had demanded
the return of eight Toyota Prado Sport Utility Vehicles given the
commission’s officials by a former IG, Ibrahim Idris.

It was learnt that the SUVs were given to the PSC Chairman,
Musiliu Smith; the Permanent Secretary and the commissioners to
assist them in their oversight functions of the police.

Adamu was said to have asked the commission to return the SUVs,
which he said were police property. However, he exempted Smith and
the commissioner representing the police on the PSC board, AIG
Lawal Bawa (retd), from returning theirs.

Sunday PUNCH learnt that Bawa was President Muhammadu Buhari’s
secondary school classmate.

Meanwhile, those expected to return their SUVs are retired
Justice Clara Ogunbiyi (North-East), representing the judiciary;
Mohammed Najatu (North-West), representing the women; and Braimoh
Austin (South-South), representing the media community.

Others are Rommy Mom (North-Central), representing the human
rights and civil society community; Nkemka Jombo-Ofo (South-East),
representing organised labour; and the erstwhile Permanent
Secretary of the commission, Maurice Mbaeri, who has been
redeployed to the Ministry of Police Affairs.

One of our correspondents learnt that the commission had decided
to return the SUVs, but the absence of the commission’s chairman,
who is out of the country, was said to have stalled the move.

The ultimatum for the return of the vehicles expired on
Friday.

A source said, “The IG has written to the commission to demand
the return of the SUVs that were given to the commissioners by the
immediate past IG, Ibrahim Idris, to assist them in their oversight
functions.

“The Toyota Prado SUVs were donated to the PSC chairman, the six
commissioners and the Permanent Secretary by the past police
management team, but Adamu has demanded in a letter that the
vehicles should be returned to the police and the ultimatum expired
on Friday.”

Meanwhile, the retirement of three DIGs – Jubrin (Training and
Development), Taiwo Lakanu (Logistics and Supply) and Godwin
Nwobodo (Information and Communications Technology) – has created a
vacuum in the police management team.

However, the PSC has yet to receive nominations for their
replacement.

Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, could not be reached
for comments on the replacement for the retiring DIGs and other
developments on the recruitment crisis.

However, speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior police
officer close to the IG stated that the PSC was fighting a losing
battle, saying the force had the support of the Attorney General of
the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), on
the police recruitment.

The ranking police officer touted legal advice from the AGF
endorsing the takeover of the recruitment process by the IG.

“There is no way the commission can win this battle, because the
AGF supported the action taken so far by the police and he has also
written strong legal advice in our favour.

“On the SUVs, the commission should not be sharing the little
police resources by taking vehicles from us. Can they defend or
justify their action?” the officer asked.

The PSC chairman recently stated that President Muhammadu Buhari
had intervened in the dispute between the commission and the force
over the recruitment of 10,000 constables. Smith said this at the
presentation of the 2018 annual report of the commission to the
President.

Commenting on the crisis, Lagos-based lawyer, Mr Jiti Ogunye,
said according to the law, the PSC was the employer of every police
officer in the country and could exercise powers in relation to
their employment, promotion and service development.

He said the scenario playing out between the two bodies was a
manifestation of dysfunctionality in government.

Ogunye added that despite the constitutional provision
stipulating that the IG was subject to the directive of the
President, he remained a member of the force.

“Yes, we know that the IG under sections 214 and 215 of the
constitution is subject to the directive of the President. But it
does not mean he is no longer in the police over whom the PSC has
authority.

“What the IG is saying is like a school principal saying he is
the one who has the power to recruit teachers and not the teaching
service commission,” he said.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Ebunoluwa Adegboruwa, said the
PSC had the right to query any police officer apart from the IG. He
added that the IG had no right to instruct the DIGs not to respond
to any lawful directives given to them by the PSC.

Adegboruwa said, “Whatever query the PSC has given to the DIGs,
they are entitled to respond to it. If they refuse to do so,
whatever punishment or a disciplinary measure is taken against
them, they will serve it under the constitution.

“The IG has no power whatsoever to reject or countermand or in
any other way disrespect any lawful directive given by the PSC. It
will amount to the rascality of the highest order for any IG to
give a directive to any officer under him to disregard orders from
the commission.”