At a time all state institutions should cooperate to tackle rising criminality, the Nigeria Police leadership is enmeshed in a needless tussle with the Police Service Commission over the recruitment of constables. The face-off between the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, and the PSC has stalled the planned intake of 10,000 new personnel to strengthen the Force. The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), should step in decisively; rein in the two parties and direct speedy action to beef up the force.
The embarrassing squabble is emblematic of the Buhari regime. The President looks on benignly while agencies and officials bicker over turf and impede important national programmes. Insecurity has reached a proportion never seen in the country before; the security agencies, including the military, are stretched almost to breaking point, and the sole police force is overwhelmed. This informed the decision to recruit 40,000 new constables over four years, with 10,000 intakes annually. It is a national emergency deserving of close presidential attention.
But the plan immediately ran into a hitch when the police challenged the authority of the PSC to undertake the recruitment. After initially intervening, Buhari has since reverted to his familiar aloofness.
In the latest round, the commission had published an advertisement calling on interested citizens to apply for the 2022 constables’ recruitment programme. But peremptorily, the Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, issued a counterstatement discrediting the exercise. According to him, the advertisement “has no connection with the Nigeria Police Force nor is it in tandem with the police recruitment process and should be disregarded in its entirety.”
This is curious given the provisions of the law and a subsisting Court of Appeal ruling. More curiously, the commission surrendered to the police intimidation and suspended the exercise. In a statement, the PSC asked the thousands of youths who had shown interest not to apply for the job yet “so as to give the commission the time to settle its differences with the police authorities.” It said that all contending issues around the exercise would be resolved between the two parties “in the interest of the nation.”
This is poor governance at play; a country battling the scale of insecurity that Nigeria is witnessing should not tolerate inter-agency rivalry in security matters. Taking advantage of presidential indecisiveness, Baba appears to be acting unilaterally. The PSC too projects a lack of confidence. A subsisting Court of Appeal judgement has validated its exclusive constitutional mandate to recruit persons into the NPF. It is an egregious affront to the rule of law therefore for Baba to interfere, and PSC to acquiesce in defiance of the ruling.
This makes it even more urgent for Buhari to resolve the impasse. Paragraph 30, Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the constitution provides 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) of this paragraph.”
Also, the Court of Appeal in its judgement of September 30, 2020, reiterated the powers of the PSC to exercise control over police recruitment. Justice Peter Ige held that by the combined provisions of Section 153 subsection (1)(m), Section 153 subsection (2) and Section 215 subsection (1)(b) of the constitution and paragraph 30 part 1 of the Third Schedule to the constitution, as well as sections 6 and 24 of the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act, the commission is the sole statutory body exclusively empowered and responsible for the appointment, promotion, dismissal and exercise of disciplinary control over persons holding or aspiring to hold offices in the NPF except for the office of the IG.
Issuing a perpetual injunction, the appellate court further declared that any attempt by the defendants to appoint or recruit persons into in the Nigeria Police (except the office of the IG) amounts to unlawful usurpation of the exclusive statutory powers of the PSC.
In a society where the rule of law reigns supreme, that should have settled the matter. The only recourse left to any party, if still unsatisfied, is to appeal to the Supreme Court. Even then, without a consequent and specific court order, such an appeal does not automatically translate to a stay of execution. Given this, the prolonged feuding leading to the pause in the recruitment is baffling.
The woeful failure of the Nigeria Police to protect lives and property arises fundamentally from the anomalous single police structure in a natural federation. But this is exacerbated by a shortage of field personnel, among other factors. Filling the gap ought to be a top priority for any police chief interested in public service delivery.
Putting aside ego and needless turf wars, both parties should resolve whatever differences they have standing in the way of the recruitment. In this, they must abide strictly by the law and with judicial pronouncements. Buhari’s responsibility is to compel them to do so and without further delay.
While they bicker, terrorists have recently thrice attacked the Federal Capital Territory. The Nigeria Security Incidents Tracker compiled by Beacon Consulting reported at least 7,222 Nigerians killed and 3,823 others abducted between January and July in 2,840 incidents of insecurity. Also, no fewer than 1,499 people were injured during attacks recorded in 505 local government areas. Many rural communities are currently governed by terrorists and bandits. The ability of the country to conduct the 2023 general elections nationwide is under threat.
The ratio of police to population in Nigeria is 1:540, with 371,800 police officers. This is below the ratio of 1:400 recommended by the United Nations. Despite the glaring manpower deficit, over 60 per cent of police personnel are attached to VIPs, while other citizens are left to their fate. The IG should be worried by this.
The PSC should quickly coordinate with all stakeholders, courageously exercise its constitutional mandate and comply with the judicial orders. Buhari should restrain the IG from further delaying the recruitment.
