Police Sacks 19 Senior Officers, Demotes 19 Others

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has fired 19 senior police officers, while approving the demotion of 19 others.

This was disclosed by he PSC’s spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement issued on Friday.

As contained in the statement, the dismissed senior officers comprised of ten assistant superintendents, six deputy superintendents, two chief superintendents, and one superintendent.

On the other hand, the 19 other senior police officers whose ranks were reduced as approved by the commission include one assistant commissioner of police, one chief superintendent, two superintendents, two deputy superintendents, and 13 assistant superintendents.

In the same vein, two Assistant Inspectors General of Police also received some punishments: one, a punishment of reprimand for refusal to carry out lawful instructions, and the other, a letter of warning for negligence.

Ani further disclosed in the statement that several other officers found culpable received different punishments, including severe reprimand, reprimand, and letter of warning.

He said the decision was made at the commission’s last segment of its first plenary meeting in Abuja.

“Most of the officers dismissed are also to be prosecuted by the Legal Unit of the Nigeria Police Force. Three pending disciplinary matters were stepped down with a request for further information from the Inspector General of Police.

“The Commission also considered 23 appeals and petitions and nine legal matters/court judgments,” Ani added.

The PSC spokesperson said 110 pending disciplinary matters and 23 appeals and petition cases with 13 court judgements seeking compliance were deliberated on at the plenary.

Speaking, the Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu (retd.), said the commission will henceforth consider police disciplinary matters with dispatch to free police officers who are not found wanting to continue with their career progression and those found culpable to serve their punishments.

He warned that the Commission will not spare police officers who indulge in civil matters like land disputes, marital issues and rent-related disputes.

DIG Argungu said the courts should be allowed to do their duties while the police should pay more attention to criminal matters and threats to life.