The Police Service Commission and the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba have commenced a joint investigation into allegation by some aggrieved Police personnel that personnel of the PSC working in partnership with officers at Force headquarters were collecting bribes amounting to as much as $10,000 before promotion.
A source at the PSC disclosed that the decision to embark on a joint investigation followed the fact that both officials of the commission and the Police Force Secretary department were fingered in the allegation.
He said, "You know Dr. Arase is a no nonsense senior officer, who was acclaimed for ensuring that justice is done with regards to promotions in the Nigerian Police force during his time as IGP. Infact, his recent call on the Police management to address issues of pending disciplinary cases, so that the backlog would not affect officers due for promotions, is in that light.
"So the investigations have commenced to get to the root of the matter and soon you will hear the outcome because nothing will be swept under the carpet"
Recall that the aggrieved Police officers had in a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, pleaded with him to institute an investigation into the alleged collection of $10,000 bribe for police promotion noting that it has resulted in a situation where junior officers are promoted over and above their seniors thereby causing disaffection in the force.
The officers said that there’s an urgent need for President Buhari to look into the promotion exercise going on in the force
A statement by one Mr Chijioke Okonkwo on behalf of other officers, in Akure, the Ondo state capital noted that there were a lot of corrupt practices and injustices going on in the force, which needed the attention of the Presidency.
It read: “There is serious corruption in the Nigeria Police in the ongoing promotion of senior police officers.
“Junior ones are being given special promotions ahead of their seniors.
“Of recent, two aides of a senior officer, who were earlier promoted to Chief Superintendent of Police in year 2018, recently benefited from the special promotion to the rank of Assistant Commissioner and have their date of promotion backdated to 13/07/2021.
It said, "officers who are running the normal promotions, promoted to CSP in the year 2015 were recently elevated to the status of ACP with their date as 27/03/23, making them subordinates to their former juniors.
It further said, “There is serious corruption in the Nigeria Police in the ongoing promotion of senior police officers. Junior ones are being given special promotions ahead of their seniors.
“Of recent, two aides of a senior officer, who were earlier promoted to Chief Superintendent of Police in year 2018, recently benefited from the special promotion to the rank of Assistant Commissioner and have their date of promotion backdated to 13/07/2021.
“Meanwhile, officers who are running the normal promotions, promoted to CSP in the year 2015 and recently elevated to the status of ACP with their date as 27/03/23, making them subordinates to their former junior.
“The mother of all the corruption is a list of some officers, most of whom are serving in Lagos State Command.
“They have paid as much as $10,000 to some notable people in Police Service Commission, for them to be given special promotions to their next rank and have their dates of promotion backdated under the disguise of community recommendations.
“This has taken the Inspector General of Police aback and generating rancor within the force headquarters.
“Such corrupt practices can only bring indiscipline, incompetency and lack of commitment in the force.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman Police Service Commission, Dr. Arase and four former Inspectors general of Police including Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, Mr. Gabriel Sunday Ehindero, Mr Ogbona Onovo, Mr. Suleiman Abba as well as the Inspector General of Police, IGP Alkali- Baba on Wednesday held a meeting on the state of the Nigerian Police force.
At the meeting which held at the permanent site of the Police Service Commission in Jabi, Abuja, former IGP Sunday Ehindero who spoke on behalf of his colleagues said the meeting deliberated on contemporary problems affecting the Police force.
He said, "We commended the Nigerian Police force under IGP Usman Alkali Baba for the performance of Police personnel in the just concluded general elections. We also looked at challenges facing the Police force. We encouraged the IGP that no matter the contemporary challenges, where people think that the worst will happen, we have a way of resolving any issues".
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