Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Service commission promotes 219 policemen

Recalls 2,500 sacked officers

THE Police Service Commission has approved the promotion of 219 officers with a charge to them to put in their best to justify the elevation.

A statement by the commission’s Chief Information Officer, Ferdinand Ekpe, disclosed that the police authorities, following their 20th plenary meeting yesterday, among other decisions, promoted “a total of 219 officers ranging from the ranks of Superintendent to Commissioner of Police based on seniority, merit, availability of vacancies, favourable APER results and minimum of 3 years on a rank.”

Also, no fewer than 2,500 policemen illegally shown the way out of the Nigeria Police have been recalled into the service, The Guardian has learnt.

Their recall, according to a source, followed a thorough review of their cases by the police hierarchy, which ruled that some of the offences were too minor to attract dismissal.

According to the source, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim, directed the 36 commissioners of police to review the dismissals following numerous complaints by the affected policemen.

It was further gathered that the decision to recall the policemen might not be unconnected with the urgent need to strengthen the police for the 2011 polls.

A police source said: “At this moment, we need officers and men who have long years of experience in operation. Many of the dismissed officers committed minor offences but may be their unit leaders for one reason or the other recommended their dismissal to the commissioner of police. But the new Inspector General of Police decided to open their cases and allow justice to take its course.”

Meanwhile, plans are under way by the police to acquire new patrol vehicles as well as communication gadgets to match their new strength of about 400,000 policemen.

Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Olusola Amore, who spoke with The Guardian on the police preparations for the 2011 polls, assured that the security outfit was preparing well through adequate training for the smooth conduct of the elections.

Amore said the police had their standing rules guiding their operations, adding that any policeman who did not flout the rules could not be dismissed.

He stressed that if the police found out that an officer had been dismissed illegally, the case can be revisited by his command and the affected officer recalled if found innocent.
Ekpe added: “In all, the Police Service Commission promoted 35 Deputy Commissioners who had fulfilled all conditions required for elevation to the rank of Commissioners of Police.

“Similarly, 46 Assistant Commissioners of Police were further elevated by the Commission to Deputy Commissioners of Police while 52 Superintendents of Police were promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police.


“In its resolve that no competent officer of the Nigeria Police Force who truly merits promotions shall be denied, the commission equally approved the promotion of 86 Superintendents of Police to the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police in the Nigeria Police Force.

“Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Parry Osayande, while congratulating the successful officers, called on them to live up to the new responsibilities their elevation had placed on them. He also charged all members of the Nigeria Police Force to work hard so as to earn promotion, as it is only competence and hard work that would earn an officer promotion.”




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