Clara Ogunbiyi, the acting chairperson of the Police Service
Commission (PSC), says she will engage with Usman Baba, inspector-general of
police, and Muhammad Dingyadi, minister of police affairs, on the
constitutional duties of the commission.
Ogunbiyi said this on Monday while addressing staff members
of the commission.
On September 15, the retired supreme court justice was named
as the acting PSC chairperson following the resignation of Musiliu Smith, who
was said to have stepped down on health grounds.
Smith’s resignation came amid the controversy trailing the
commission’s decision to recruit constables into the Nigeria Police Force
(NPF).
In August, the NPF had dismissed an advertisement by PSC on
recruitment of constables, and Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said the NPF
had no connection with the advert.
Hours later, the commission announced the suspension of the
recruitment.
Following the development, PSC workers declared an
indefinite strike over what they described as “breach of conditions necessary
for working harmony” and subsequently Smith to resign.
Over the past years, there have been issues involving the
PSC and NPF over the provisions of part one of the third schedule to the 1999
constitution (as amended) and section 18(1) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.
Part one of the third schedule to the 1999 constitution
states: “The Commission shall have power to — a. appoint persons to offices
(other than office of the Inspector-General of Police) in the Nigeria Police
Force.”
On the other hand, section 18(1) of the Nigeria Police Act
2020 states: “The responsibility for the recruitment of recruit constables into
the Nigeria Police Force and recruit cadets into the Nigeria Police Academy
shall be the duty of the Inspector-General of Police.”
According to a statement by Ikechukwu Ani, PSC spokesperson,
at the meeting on Monday, the PSC chairperson promised to meet with the IGP and
police affairs minister over the provisions of the constitution regarding the
commission.
“The acting [chairperson] of the Police Service Commission,
Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, retired Justice of the Supreme Court, today,
Monday, September 19th, 2022, addressed the Staff of the Commission on the
mandate of the Commission as provided for in paragraphs 29 and 30 of the 3rd
Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 6(1) of the Police
Service Commission Establishment (Act) 2001,” the statement reads.
“Justice Ogunbiyi informed the staff that the management
will engage in personal interface with the office of the inspector-general of
police and the minister of police affairs with a view to understanding the
common ground of each others responsibility.
“She further said that the Management intends to operate an
all inclusive and open door policy as provided by the provision of the relevant
laws.
“Justice Ogunbiyi therefore called on Staff of the
Commission to inculcate mutual respect, good conduct and character among
themselves and towards the Management stressing that ‘respect begets respect
and the Management will do its utmost best to take the service delivery in the
Commission to an enviable and excellent pedestal’.
“She solicited for
the cooperation of all the staff with a view to achieving the mandate of the
commission as an effective civilian oversight of the entire police force.”
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