Minister steps into IG, PSC row over constable recruitment

The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, is intervening in the ongoing face-off between the Police Service Commission, and the Nigeria Police Force.

After concluding the recruitment exercise, the PSC on June 4 released the list of 10,000 successful applicants for constable and specialist cadre roles in the Nigeria Police Force.

Eleven days later, the police rejected the list over the allegation that the recruitment exercise was marred by corruption and irregularities.

The statement by the force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi said, “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.”

Following the action of the police, the commission’s union called for the removal of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun for misrepresenting facts on the recruitment exercise.

The PSC in its first response on the matter, challenged the police to provide evidence to substantiate its claim that the recruitment exercise was characterized by corruption.

On June 25, the PSC Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, stressed that the final list of successful candidates from the recruitment would never be cancelled, insisting that the exercise was done in accordance with relevant laws.