Misconduct: PSC bares fangs, boots out 18 senior police officers, demotes 19 others

The Police Service Commission, PSC, has wielded the big stick against police personnel allegedly caught in acts of misconduct and other disciplinary issues.

Therefore, the Commission has approved the dismissal of 18 senior officers and demotion of 19 others, according to a statement released on Friday in Abuja by Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, the Commission’s Head of Press and Public Relations.

He further disclosed that the PSC considered 109 Pending Disciplinary Matters and 23 Appeals and petition cases, with 13 court judgments seeking compliance.Ani added that the Commission had also considered and approved recommendations on several promotion matters, which the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetekun, sent to it for implementation.

According him, the PSC made the decisions at a plenary presided over Mr Hashimu Argungu, its chairman.

“After rigorous consideration of the pending disciplinary matters before the commission, it approved the dismissal of 19 senior Police Officers,” Ani said.

“The senior officers consist of 10 Assistant Superintendents, six Deputy Superintendents, two Chief Superintendents, and one Superintendent.

“The commission also approved the reduction in ranks of 19 other senior police officers, consisting of one Assistant Commissioner of Police, one Chief Superintendent, two Superintendents, two Deputy Superintendents and 13 Assistant Superintendents.”

Furthermore, Ani said two Assistant Inspectors-General of Police were also sanctioned by the PSC.

While one received letter of warning for negligence, the other was reprimanded for refusal to carry out lawful instructions.

He added that several other officers, who were found culpable we’re given various punishments, including, severe reprimand, and letters of warning.

He said after considering 23 appeals and petitions and nine legal matters/court judgments, the commission stepped down three pending disciplinary matters and asked the Inspector General of Police to furnish it with further information.

Most of the sacked officers, Ani added, would also be prosecuted by the legal unit of the Nigeria Police Force.

Ani said the commission would henceforth be considering police disciplinary matters with dispatch to release police officers that no longer want to continue with their career progression and those found guilty to serve their punishments.

Ani stressed that the PSC PSC helmsman had warned that the commission would deal with any officer indulging in civil matters like land disputes, marital issues, and rent-related disputes.