IGP Rejects Constables’ Recruitment List, Accuses PSC Of Corruption
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has rejected the list of constables recruited by the Police Service Commission (PSC), saying due process was not followed in the exercise.
The IGP, in a statement released on Saturday by the Force Public Relations Officer, <span;>ACP Olumiyuwa Adejobi, called for total, transparent and credible review of the exercise.
He added that the recruitment exercise was full of irregularities and marred by allegations of corruption against the PSC officials.
According to him, the call for the review became necessary because of series of complaints and allegations of corruption raised by unsuspecting candidates and stakeholders on the irregularities that marred the exercise, most especially the disappearance of the names of screened candidates who were successful to the last stage.
“Upon careful scrutiny of the list released on the PSC portal, it was discovered that several names of persons purported to be names of successful candidates are those who did not even apply and therefore did not take part in the recruitment exercise.
“The published list contains several names of candidates who failed either the Computer Based Test (CBT) or the physical screening exercise or both.
“There are those who made it to the last stage of the exercise but were disqualified having been found Medically unfit through the standardised medical test but who also made the list of successful candidates as published by the PSC.
“Most worrisome is the allegation of financial dealings and corrupt practices leading to the outcome, where unqualified and untrainable individuals have been shortlisted.”
He recalled that the Force Headquarters had officially raised objection to the list in a letter dated 10th June 2024 addressed to the Chairman of the Commission.
The IGP said that their reaction was without prejudice to the powers of the Commission to recruit for the police as ruled by the Supreme Court.
“But this power does not include the power to recruit unqualified and untrained individuals for the police, because it is the police that bears the brunt of recruitment of unqualified individuals and not the PSC.
“The same people who recruited anyhow for the police today will turn round to accuse the police tomorrow of inefficiency when their recruits start messing up.
“The Police therefore has since dissociated itself from the published list and called for a review that will be transparent and credible.”
He recalled that the PSC had constituted a Joint Recruitment Board, to be headed by one of the Commissioners of the PSC, with the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Training and Development in the Police Force as its Secretary.
“But surprisingly, the Board was crippled and never allowed to carry out its mandate, insomuch that even the final list was not consented to by the Board,” he added.
According to the IGP, the Nigeria Police Force takes exception to what it called an unpleasant development and called for total review of the process with a view to recruiting qualified, competent, trainable and productive hands.
