2016 Police Recruitment Shelved; Excercise Held In Abeyance As Senators Disagree With PSC
The Police Service Commission has put 'on hold' the 2016 police recruitment excecise billed to absorb 10,000 personnel into the Nigeria Police Force following the 'bellyeache' and disapproval of the Red chamber (Senate) of the National Assembly and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotum Idris.
The decision by the PSC to halt the process was disclosed two weeks ago, few months after 110,469 shortlisted candidates sat for a written screening test.
It was gathered, the commission's management was at final stage of the recruitment process in Jigawa State when the police boss directed the police representatives at the excercise, Emmanuel Inyang the Deputy Inspector General of police in charge of Training and Development, and another senior officer to immediately disemback and return to Abuja.
The absence of police representatives at the excercise had clearly forced the PSC to pigeonhole the recruitment as the police management must be duely represented and by implication carried along in the entire process.
There are strong indications that the IG’s stance stemmed from the pressure by some senators, who believe the recruitment should favour their geo-political zones. In his words IG Idris said; “We want the selection to be based on local government because of community policing. For the rank and file, we said nine persons should be selected per local government while for the officers, we said it should be based on state.
“All we are saying is that the selection of personnel from inspectors downward should be based on local government basis to advance community policing in this country.”
In another development, source maintained the main intent behind the committee’s demand was to see that the recruitment turned out to favour the geo-political zones with more local government areas in the country.
The PSC hasnt been quiet in all these. They have indeed left some revealing comments: “The Police Service Commission did not suspend the recruitment on account of the letter from the Senate; we don’t report to the Senate.
“The exercise was suspended because the IG recalled the police representatives at the meeting to finalise the exercise and since we need to carry the police along, the commission decided to suspend it until the issues raised are resolved.”
PSC was believed to have followed the Federal Character provisions in the recruitment to foster equal representation of all the 36 states in the force, but the senators were reportedly not satisfied with the criteria.
OPINION
Nigerian Senators are just too powerful! I keep wondering if all these fiascos plays out in other climes during police recruitment. Haven't heared of U.S Senators suspending recruitment excercises simply because it must go their way -Chuks
On whose orders was the IG acting ? Did he on his own accord and volition decide to pull his men from the excercise? Are there powerful people who share the same views with the irate lawmakers? #FingersCrossed...hmmm. - Ubong
