PSC Stripped Off Recruitment Powers, Cps Free From Gov. Orders

PSC Stripped Off Recruitment Powers, Cps Free From Gov. Orders

The Nigeria House of Representatives has stripped the Police Service Commission off powers to recruit and train Constables.

The Nigeria Police Force has been bestowed the power to recruit and train as cited in a bill amending the Nigeria Police Act, which passed the third reading.

Before this, the Police Service Commission filed a lawsuit challenging the power of the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Adamu to recruit 10,000 Police Constable approved by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

The House of Representatives on Tuesday considered the report by the Committee on Police Affairs on the ‘Bill for an Act to Repeal the Police Act, Cap. P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Enact Nigeria Police Act, 2020.’

Addressing this issue, Section 21 of the bill titled ‘Recruitment, Appointment, and Service’ the House transferred the power to recruit Constables from the PSC to the IG. According to the House of Reps, the Nigeria Police Recruitment Committee which would be created under the new law is to be headed by the IG.

The purposed Police Recruitment Committee would be made up of the IG as chairman, all serving DIGs, Force Secretary; Commandants of Staff College, Jos, and Police Academy Wudil, Kano; a representative of the Police colleges; and the officer-in-charge of the Legal Section of the Nigeria Police Force.

The Section father outlines the following: “The responsibility for the recruitment of recruit Constables into the Nigeria Police Force and recruit Cadets into the Nigeria Police Academy shall be the duty of the Inspector-General of Police.

“The Police Recruitment Committee is responsible for the recruitment of recruit Constables into the Nigeria Police Force.”

“The recruitment of Constables into the Nigeria Police Force shall be of national spread across each state of the federation.

“The members of the Police Recruitment Committee shall have the power to delegate Officers, not below the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police, to represent them at any meeting or recruitment exercise.

“The decision of the Police Recruitment Committee is final on any matter concerning the recruitment of recruit Constables into the Nigeria Police Force.”

The amendment bill also gives the powers of training and retraining of cops to the IG under Section 22.

Also, the House of Rep amended the part of the old bill which states that “the Commissioner of Police of a State shall comply with the directions of the Governor of the State with respect to the maintaining and securing of public safety and public order within the state, or cause them to be complied with: provided that before carrying out any such direction, the Commissioner may request that the matter should be referred to the
President for his directions”.

The House recommended that this section of the bill should be deleted.

All other amendments ranging from powers, duties, and functions of the Inspector-General of Police to duty of the police were made. According to the House of Reps, the amendment bill aims to “provide for the framework for the Police Force and ensure cooperation and partnership between the police and communities in maintaining peace
and protecting lives and properties.”