Posted by From MURPHY GANAGANA and LAMBERT TYEM, Abuja on
The Police Service Commission [PSC] has demoted former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC], Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, from the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police [AIG], to Deputy Commissioner of police [DCP], along with 139 other senior officers.
The Police Service Commission [PSC] has demoted former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC], Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, from the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police [AIG], to Deputy Commissioner of police [DCP], along with 139 other senior officers.
Chairman of the commission, DIG Parry Osayande (retd), said in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja that the commission found the promotions effected prior to the inauguration of the PSC board disturbing and irregular prior, and without due recourse to the commission that has the statutory responsibility to do so.
According to him, the special promotions were not based on established criteria, and therefore, a total breach of section 153 of the 1999 Constitution and the Police Service Commission Act 2001.
Osayande said, ìit has therefore been the cause of disillusionment, agitations and indiscipline within the Nigeria Police Force.î
He said after due consideration of President Umaru Musa YaríAduaís avowed commitment to the rule of law and in order to guarantee a level playing field for all members of the police force, the commission re-examined the guidelines for promotion for all the ranks ranging from Deputy Inspector-General of Police to Constable.
The guidelines for normal promotion, he said, included seniority and merit, minimum of three years on a rank, must have attended relevant promotion course and passed prescribed examination and must be confirmed to be in the field of selection.
Other criteria included recommendation by the departmental selection board in respect of those attending departmental selection board interview and possession of good Annual Performance Evaluation (APER) grading over a period of three years.
Noteworthy is that officers having pending disciplinary matter, complaints or petitions of gross misconduct such as human rights violations, torture, extra judicial killings, corruption, rape, etc, should not be considered for promotion while officers must pass oral interview conducted by the commission and vacancy must also exist.
Osayande warned that special promotion must be based on exceptional performance such as acts of gallantry and bravery.
The chairman regretted that the commission observed that because the mechanism for the transparent performance of the statutory duties of the police service commission and the Inspector-General of Police appeared to have broken down totally at the time, issues of appointment, promotion discipline and appeals were unduly influenced from outside and within the police force.
He said to restore the broken down disciplinary mechanism, which had sustained the police over the years, the commission had decided the established criteria.
ìAccordingly, all those affected should revert to their former ranks with immediate effect, thereafter, all those who are qualified and meet the established criteria will be considered for promotion on merit, subject to available vacancies and recommendation of the IGP.
Consequently, Nuhu Ribadu promoted Commissioner of Police (CP) and AIG with effect from January 2005 is reduced to CP, six other CPs including the Late Haz Iwendi, the former Kaduna State Commissioner of Police have been reverted to DCP.
Also nine DCPs have been demoted to ACPs, eight ACPs demoted to CSPs, 11 CSPs demoted to SPs, 13 SPs demoted to DSPs while 29 DSPs were demoted to ASPs, 63 ASPs were demoted to Inspectors.