The Senate has explained that the decision to suspend the ongoing recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) was not because the National Assembly wanted to takeover the recruitment, but because of serious disagreement between the Police Service Commission (PSC) and NPF on the right modus to adopt.
Briefing journalists yesterday, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Abu Ibrahim, noted that the PSC and NPF were having disagreement on whether the recruitment should be done on the basis of equal per local government or equal per state.
He said while the PSC preferred equality by state, the NPF wanted equality by local government, arguing that this will promote community policing which eminent Nigerians have advocated as a measure against the rising spate of crime in the country.
According to Abu Ibrahim, the National Assembly committee, in a bid to settle the disagreement, had recommended that the rank and files (recruits) be done on the basis of equal per local government, while the officers be done on equal per state.
This, he said, was also rejected by some people who insisted that anything short of equality per state for both rank and files and the officers category, will negate the spirit of federal character and justice.
He also said the second aspect of the problem was that the NPF are agitated that they were not involved in the recruitment process and as such, they wanted to be involved to give them a sense of belonging.
He said that there is the legal issue that the NPF should be responsible for the recruitment of rank and file officers, while the PSC should recruit the officers, hence, he said there is need to bring on board the NPF to participate in the recruitment exercise, especially as the present situation does not involve them.
Following this divisions, the Senate Committee brought the issue before President Mohammadu Buhari, who has promised to intervene in the issue, and find a way out of the fix.
To this end, he said the decision is that all the issues concerning the recruitment should be put on hold until the President returns back in the county next week and give directive on which way should be taken with regards to the recruitment.
Meanwhile, he had argued that there is no injury on the federal character if the recruitment is done on the basis of equality per local government, adding that it will even further promote the community policing which the country and the National Assembly is poised to promote.
