BEVERLY HILLS, August 24, (THEWILL) – The recent promotion exercise in the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, has been mired in controversy following allegations that it was tainted by tribalism and favouritism, so much so that some junior officers were promoted above their seniors.
According to reports, a select number of deputy commissioners of police were promoted to commissioners over their senior colleagues. This favouritism is also said of other ranks, of which the affected personnel petitioned the authorities against the series of scandalous practices in the Force.
The condemnation generated by the controversial promotion got so loud that the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo was moved into entirely suspending its implementation.
Notwithstanding provisions in the statutes that a policeman should be considered for promotion after every three years, the majority, especially those in junior ranks, have been on the same rank for close to eight years, despite satisfactory performance on the job.
In the midst of this controversy are the Police Service Commission, PSC, headed by a retired Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro and the current Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris, whose offices are charged with the responsibilities of overseeing police promotions and other perks of duty.
The lopsidedness, tribal and narrow-minded considerations that had rocked the police even in previous administrations, including that of the immediate past president Goodluck Jonathan, have further increased the credibility crisis which the Force has to contend with. At a time when the police is perceived in a bad light, these skewed promotions can only further dent the already battered image of Nigeria police.
Aside the factors already highlighted above, there have been reports of policemen offering bribes to PSC officials and top brass of the Force to get promoted even when they are not qualified for one.
THEWILL commends Osinbajo for suspending the implementation of the unjust promotions. It is also proper that a committee headed by Justice Olufunlola Adekeye has been set up by the PSC chairman to look into the allegations. But we consider this move belated since it was the same PSC that vetted the promotions before recommending them for presidential approval.
It is irritating that tribalism, cronyism and other petty interests have continued to negatively influence promotions in an institution like the police where the highest level of professionalism should be upheld.
THEWILL condemns any form of injustice in the welfare of policemen, because we consider it dangerous when those armed to enforce laws in the society feel cheated and disenchanted. In such circumstance, they can easily vent their frustration on innocent members of the public.
The Presidency and the National Assembly must collaborate to urgently resolve these matters and restore hope to demoralized officers and men of the Force tempted to now believe that the country is not worth labouring for.
Since Okiro said the PSC had sent the list of the promoted officers to the Inspector-General of Police for clarification, Idris has a bounden duty to explain to Nigerians why junior officers were promoted above their seniors and the other irregularities.
This is also an opportunity for officers and men of the force to provide useful information to the presidency and the concerned committee of the Senate to ensure that such sharp practices are prevented in future promotions.
If the bribery scandal is found to be true, the federal government must go hard on those found culpable, as they are bad eggs that need to be quickly kicked out of service before they inflict maximum damage.
The National Assembly’s committees on police affairs must, as a matter of necessity, effectively exercise their oversight functions to ensure that the Police Act is complied with so that promotions and other welfare packages are fairly and meritoriously earned.
It is critical that these steps are taken to avoid a repeat of the scandal that seems to be getting internalised, especially as the practice appears to have defied solutions in the previous governments. The height of the anomaly was an aborted strike by some policemen in the last administration.
If the promotions in the NPF must be scandal-free, THEWILL counsels that future recommendations by the authorities, including politicians, traditional rulers and non-governmental organizations must be properly scrutinised towards ensuring that those suggestions on officers ‘deserving’ promotion are not driven by tribalism, bribery and other undue considerations.
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