TheCable

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.”