NEWS
Controversy As Police Reject Constable Recruitment List After Arase’s Dismissal
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), led by Inspector-General Kayode Egbetokun, has rejected the list of successful applicants for constable and specialist cadre roles released by the Police Service Commission (PSC).
In a statement on Saturday, Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi made it clear that the list was plagued by irregularities, noting that many individuals who did not apply to join the force had their names on the recruitment list.
Biztellers reports that when the list was released on June 4, former PSC Chairman Solomon Arase had noted that the selection process was rigorous to enhance the force’s capacity and effectiveness.
However, six days after the list’s publication, President Bola Tinubu dismissed Arase and appointed Hashimu Argungu, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, in his place.
The statement reads, “The Nigeria Police Force has raised alarm on the irregularities and alleged corruption of the recently released names of successful candidates in the ongoing 2022/23 Police Constables Recruitment Exercise.
“This became necessary upon being inundated with a series of complaints and allegations of corruption raised by unsuspecting candidates and stakeholders on the irregularities that marred the exercise most especially the disappearance of the names of screened candidates who were successful to the last stage.
“Upon careful scrutiny of the list released on the PSC portal, it was discovered that
i) 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.
ii) The published list contains several names of candidates who failed either the Computer Based Test (CBT) or the physical screening exercise or both.
iii) There are those who made it to the last stage of the exercise but were disqualified having been found Medically unfit through the standardised medical test but who also made the list of successful candidates as published by the PSC.
vi) Most worrisome is the allegation of financial dealings and corrupt practices leading to the outcome where unqualified and untrainable individuals have been shortlisted.
“The Inspector General of Police had on 10th June 2024 written a letter of objection to the list addressed to the Chairman of the Commission, citing the discoveries listed above. The reaction of the IGP was without prejudice to the power of the Commission to recruit for the police as ruled by the Supreme court but this power does not include the power to recruit unqualified and untrained individuals for the police.
“Noting that it is the police that bears the brunt of recruitment of unqualified individuals and not the PSC. The same people who recruited anyhow for the police today will turn round to accuse the police tomorrow of inefficiency when their recruits start messing up.”
President Bola Tinubu departed Lagos at 11:06 a.m. on Tuesday for Pretoria, South Africa, where he will attend the re-election inauguration of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Before his departure, Tinubu was seen off at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other dignitaries.
Traveling in style aboard a Dassault Falcon 8X aircraft with registration number 9H-GRC, President Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria after the ceremony concludes.
Allwell Ihunda, Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Rivers State, who is also overseeing Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, hastily retreated when confronted by protesting youths at the council’s headquarters on Tuesday.
Accompanied by aides and security personnel, Ihunda was en route to the council premises when aggrieved youths obstructed his path, forcing him to disembark from his vehicle.
The situation quickly escalated as the youths advanced towards him, prompting his security team to fire warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd.
In a bid to evade the growing confrontation, Ihunda swiftly boarded a black SUV with his aides and departed the scene, while disgruntled youths chased after his convoy.
Vehicles purportedly belonging to his aides also hurriedly followed suit.
Throughout the incident, some of the protesting youths vocally expressed their frustrations, shouting remarks like, “That’s him, Allwell. Chase him. Who is he? Look at him! Mayor is running. Chase him! Don’t run, come you will see pressure. We are not afraid of you.”
Despite efforts by his security team to calm the situation and quell the unrest, the youths persisted, questioning, “Why is he running?”
Amid a legislative dispute, the State Chairman of the ALGON had refused to vacate office following the expiration of his tenure on June 17th.
The LG chairmen, elected during Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration, cited the local government amendment law passed by the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly as justification for their decision.
This law extended their tenure by six months due to Governor Siminlayi Fubara’s failure to conduct local government elections.
See video below:
The Rivers State Police Command has rebutted allegations of its officers being involved in a shooting incident during a protest in Port Harcourt.
Viral video clips circulating online captured moments of sporadic gunfire as Ijaw youths gathered at the Port Harcourt City Council secretariat to demonstrate against arbitrary tenure elongation by local government chairmen.
Ichemanti, a prominent leader among the Port Harcourt City youths, claimed that the Police shot at one of the protesters during the demonstration.
However, Rivers Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko refuted the accusations.
She clarified that the Police presence was solely to maintain peace and asserted that the video evidence did not show officers discharging firearms.
Iringe-Koko stated, “If you can see clearly in that video, there is no policeman shooting there. You can see them peacefully moving around there because they are there to forestall the breakdown of law and order. So there is no shooting.
“Let’s stop circulating false stories. That you heard gunshots doesn’t mean the police are shooting. If there was any shooting, you would have seen casualties.”
Addressing queries about the source of the gunfire, the PPRO remarked, “Neither you nor I were present, but I can assure you that the Police deployed to the area did not fire any shots.”
Seun Kuti Criticises Media For Credit Misattribution To Burna Boy
JUST IN: Tinubu En Route To Ramaphosa’s Inauguration
JUST IN: Pro-Wike Chairman Chased By Angry Youths In Rivers [Video]
R/State Tense As Police Deny Viral Shooting Video
Thailand Breaks Ground, Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
Nigerian Footballer Makes History With Sevilla Move
Sahara’s Tonye Cole resigns from GPHCDA
Oando opens ultra-modern petrol station in Lagos
Niger Delta Avengers: President Buhari Reads riot Act …considers the carrot and stick option
Adeosun: We are investing in infrastructure to grow the private sector
Shell launches Nigeria campaign on energy efficiency
