The Police Service Commission PSC has said it has no power to discipline the Inspector General of Police,IGP Idris Ibrahim as demanded by some members of the public.
PSC Spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani said in a statement Sunday, that the Commission’s powers to appoint, promote and discipline officer do not apply to the IGP.
Ani’s statement reads thus: “The Police Service Commission wishes to state that it has not and will not compromise its Constitutional mandate to appoint, promote and discipline Officers of the Nigeria Police Force. The Commission also wishes to state that its powers to do this (do) not cover the office of the Inspector General of Police.
“The Powers of the Commission are stated in paragraph 30, Part 1of the third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, thus; ” the Commission shall have powers to: (a) appoint persons to offices (other than the office of the Inspector General of Police) in the Nigeria Police Force; and (b) dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over persons holding any office referred to in sub-paragraph (a).
“The attention of the Commission is drawn to a Saturday Vanguard front page publication of October 7th, 2017, captioned, “Shocking! more rot in Police exposed”, where one Aisha Tosan went to a great extent to expose alleged ills in the Nigeria Police Force and expected that the Commission should have called the IGP to order.
“As an insider, Tosan who should be genuinely concerned on the alleged rot in the system, should also have known where to squarely place the blame. It is common knowledge that the Constitution which gave the Commission the powers to appoint, promote and discipline also did not extend the powers to discipline an IGP who refuses to implement decisions on these powers.
The Commission under the present leadership of Sir, Dr. Mike Mbama Okiro, a retired IGP, is not a mere rubber stamp Agency. It carries out its duties diligently and in accordance with set out guidelines. It also in the discharge of this duties, takes the IGP into consideration as the operational head of the Nigeria Police Force.
“The 1999 Constitution, part 111, (supplemental) (b), 215 (2) states; The Nigeria Police Force shall be under the command of the Inspector General of Police.
On postings of Command CPs, the Commission naturally allows the IGP who works with these officers and who knows their operational capabilities to recommend to it.
“And on special promotions, the Commission has given the IGP guidelines that should govern his recommendations. Meanwhile, all recommendations to the Commission on this issue, has been put on hold until he complies with these guidelines.
“That the current PSC has outlived its usefulness is a joke taken too far by Tosan. If what she meant was failure to rein in the IGP, then she should take another look at the Constitution and the enabling ACT of the National Assembly setting up the Commission.
“The Commission however can do more with a Constitutional provision that allows it protect its decisions. It is also common knowledge that most times its decisions are not implemented by the IGP since constitutionally the Commission can not discipline the IGP.
“The Commission wishes to advise that in this current move to sanitize the Nigeria Police Force, efforts should not be wasted in unnecessary witch hunt, rather it should be channeled into identifying the source/sources of the problems/drawbacks with the intention of putting it right.
“The current Commission will continue to work with Mr. President to give the nation the police force that will be the envy of every Nigerian.
Appointments, promotions and disciplinary matters will continue to be guided by laid down rules and regulations.”