By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Musiliu Smith, has succumbed to the supremacy battle between the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), and the Commission, over whose constitutional mandate it is to recruit a certain cadre of personnel into the Nigerian Police Force, by quitting his appointment.

The former Inspector General of Police (IGP), was said to have thrown in the towel, following the supremacy battle surrounding the recruitment of Constables into the Nigeria Police Force.

Recall that on 23 of August 2022, the Police Service Commission (PSC), in a statement suspended the 2022 Police recruitment exercise earlier published to enable eligible Nigerians to join the force.

The Commission’s decision to halt the process came after the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) disapproved of the recruitment exercise earlier published as an advertisement in a national daily.

The NPF had asked Nigerians to disregard the information, saying the website for registration enlisted by the PSC was not associated with the Force.

Consequently, the PSC acknowledged the Police Force’s response to the development and asked that Nigerians exercise patience while it resolved issues with the Force.

“The Commission wishes to state that all contending issues around the exercise will be resolved between the two parties in the interest of the nation,” Ikechukwu Ani, the PSC Spokesperson has said in a statement.

Bringing a legal perspective to the impasse, Mr Ani revealed that the commission “is one of the Federal Executive Bodies captured in Section 153 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended”.

He said: “Paragraph 29 and 30 of the third Schedule of the Constitution states that;
“The Commission shall have the power to appoint persons to offices (other than the office of the Inspection-General of Police) in the Nigeria Police Force; and dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over persons holding any office referred to in subparagraph (a) of this paragraph”.

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The spokesperson continued, “Also, Section 6 of the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act, 2001 provides as follows;

The Commission shall – Be responsible for the appointment and promotion of persons to offices (other than the office of the Inspector-General of Police) in the Nigeria Police force:

“Dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over persons (other than the Inspector-General of Police) in the Nigerian Police Force; the Commission shall not be subject to the direction, control or supervision of any other authority or person in performance of its functions other than as is prescribed in this Act. This is also captured in Section 14 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020;

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The Commission has power to appoint such other persons to offices in the Police Force as are required for the effective and efficient performance of functions of the Police Force on such terms and conditions as maybe prescribed by the Commission”.

Mr. Ani insisted that the commission “is the only legal body charged with the responsibilities of recruitment into all the three entry points in the Nigeria Police Force, Constable, Cadet Inspector, and Cadet Assistant Superintendents of Police”.

Meanwhile, there is still ongoing legal duel between the two federal government institutions.

The former IGP Smith is expected to hand over to Retired Justice Clara Ogunbiyi, who is representing the judiciary at the commission.

Mr. Ani, who broke the resignation of the chairman to journalists, also promised to issue a detailed statement on the resignation today.