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House Moves to Investigate Dispute Between PSC, Inspector-General of Police
Juliet Akoje in Abuja
The House of Representatives has urged the House Committees on Police to investigate the root cause of the lingering dispute between the Police Service Commission (PSC), and the Inspector-General of Police, with the aim of resolving the issues, proceed with the recruitment process without further delay, and report to the House with recommendations within four weeks.
The House has also called on the federal government to provide adequate funding and resources necessary to support the recruitment and training of the police officers.
Consequently, the lawmakers further urged on the federal government to increase the number of police personnel to be recruited and in doing so, ensure the federal character provisions as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution is strictly adhered to.
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on the urgent “Need to Investigate and Settle the Lingering Police Recruitment Dispute Halting The 2023/2024 Police Recruitment,” moved by Hon. Mitema Obordor at plenary on Thursday.
Obordor while presenting the motion noted that “the Nigeria Police Force is the principal law enforcement and lead security agency, established in 1930 from a merger of the two preceding agencies.
“The Northern and Southern Nigeria police, and designated by section 214 of the 1999 Constitution as national police of Nigeria with exclusive jurisdiction to provide civil services, maintain law and order, and protect lives and property.”
He noted that the Nigeria Police Force is a federal government organization consisting of 36 state commands and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), grouped into 17 zones and 8 administrative organs, with a personnel strength of approximately 371,800, and headed by the Inspector-General of police.
According to him, “The Nigeria police is under the supervision of the police Service Commission which has the power to appoint, promote and dismiss all officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) except the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and with the objective of brokering a relationship of trust and confidence between the public and the police”
“In view of the population of Nigeria and the security situation in the country, the ideal police-to-citizen ratio in Nigeria ought to be one police officer to 200 citizens. However, the country currently has a ratio of one police officer to 650 citizens, indicating a significant shortfall in the Nigerian police strength, and far below the United Nations recommendation of one police to 450 citizens”
“The lingering dispute between the Nigeria Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police, which has resulted to an impasse, and regrettably halted the ongoing recruitment process for almost ten months.”
He further stressed that the lingering dispute between the police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of police which has resulted to a halt in the 2023/2024 recruitment process exacerbates the existing shortage of police personnel, undermining the police’s capacity to effectively respond to security threats.
“The critical need to strengthen the Nigerian police force by setting a ratio of one police officer to 200 citizens, or adopt the United Nations recommendation of a ratio of one police officer to 450 citizens to address the escalating security challenges facing our nation.
“The resolution of the lingering dispute between the police service commission and the Inspector-General of police, and the recruitment of additional police officers are crucial to bolstering Nigeria’s security and ensuring the safety of citizens.
“This shortage of police personnel has reduced police presence in communities, thereby leading to a surge in crime rates as criminals take advantage of the situation especially in Bayelsa State, compromised public safety, eroded trust in the police force and the Government’s ability to ensure security.”
He, however, emphasised that the dispute between the Police Service Commission and the Inspector-General of Police which has resulted to a halt in the police recruitment and the attendant capacity shortage and weakness of the Nigerian police may have far-reaching national security implications, potentially emboldening terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements.
