metro

Again, Police, PSC Set to Clash over Recruitment of 10,000 Constables

Published

5 years ago

November 28, 2021

– PSC vows to resist attempt to hijack its mandate

-Force yet to approach S’Court after losing at A’Court

The last has not been heard of the tussle between the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Nigerian Police over the recruitment of 10,000 police constables, as both organisations are planning separate exercises for 2021.

The PSC, had on Wednesday, in Abuja, disclosed that as soon as the 2020 recruitment exercise for which the aptitude test was conducted last week, was concluded, the commission would begin the 2021 exercise.

But the Inspector General of Police (IG), Usman Alkali Baba, at the weekend called for applications from suitably qualified applicants for the 2021 recruitment exercise.
President Muhammadu Buhari had in 2018 given approval for the recruitment of 60,000 police constables for six years.

The 2020 recruitment exercise, however, ran into troubled waters when the police insisted that it had the mandate to recruit constables.
But the PSC had stood its ground, also insisting that it was constitutionally empowered to conduct recruitment for the police.

READ ALSO:

The exercise soon became a subject of litigation with the police under the former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, winning the first round at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The ruling of the high court was later set aside by the Court of Appeal which declared that the Police Service Commission was constitutionally empowered to conduct recruitment of police constables.
While the police authorities had given the impression that they would challenge the judgment at the Supreme Court, they were yet to approach the apex court.

On resumption of duties as the new police chief, Alkali Baba had visited the PSC, and in the spirit of reconciliation, called on the PSC to resume its duties giving the impression that the litigation saga was over.

The two agencies later held a one-day retreat at the Force Headquarters on the way forward.
But at a briefing in Abuja, Chairman of the PSC, Mr. Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector-General of Police, stated that as soon as the 2020 exercise which was delayed by the litigations, was concluded, the commission would embark on the recruitment of another 10,000 for 2021 and subsequently kick-start the 2022 edition in fulfillment of the presidential directive for the recruitment of 60,000 police constables.

He said the position of the commission became necessary following repeated calls and inquiries from Nigerians on whether the commission was part of the process of the ongoing completion of the 2020 recruitment exercise.

He said aptitude tests for shortlisted applicants from the earlier suspended 2020 recruitment were held on Friday, October 29, and Saturday, October 30, 2021, across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

READ ALSO:

“Mr. President, had, in 2018, approved the recruitment of 10,000 Nigerians annually into the constable cadre of the Nigeria Police Force for six years. This is to inject needed additional personnel and to bridge the manpower gap in the force, especially with the resurgence of banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping in different parts of the country and regular loss of personnel through dismissal, retirement, natural death, accident, and others”, he said.
The retired IG said the 2020 recruitment exercise which was suspended midway was the third edition after the successful 2018 and 2019 exercises.

“It is necessary to state that the ongoing completion of the suspended 2020 edition was a joint decision of the commission and that of the Nigeria Police Force and it was meant to further fast-track the injection of required personnel into the force. A joint committee of the commission and that of the Nigeria Police Force met severally in the commission and approved a timeline for the completion of the exercise,” he said.

He noted that with the completion of the aptitude tests across the country recently, successful candidates were undergoing medical examinations at the 17 zonal police headquarters in the country after which fit and proper 10,000 candidates would be recruited by the commission and sent to the police colleges/training schools for training.

“The commission is aware of the manpower gaps in the Nigeria Police Force especially with rapid wastages of officers and men due to many reasons earlier highlighted.

“The commission wishes to commend Mr. President for his kind and gracious approval for the recruitment of 10,000 Nigerians into the constable cadre of the Nigeria Police Force continuously for six years. We are grateful to the National Assembly for the support in approving releases of required funds for this exercise,” he added.

On the litigation, the PSC chair hinted that the police might still be forging ahead with the court matter.

“The Appeal Court delivered a favourable judgment to PSC. They (police) have given the impression that they want to go to the Supreme Court.

“We will encourage them to go there because that is the highest court in the land”, he added.
But the police high command at the weekend called for applications from suitably qualified applicants for the 2021 recruitment exercise.

READ ALSO:

The public notice titled: “2021 Recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force,” said in the first paragraph that “the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in conjunction with the Police Service Commission (PSC) invites applications from interested and qualified Nigerians for enlistment into the Nigeria Police Force as Police Constable (Recruits)”.

However, a top official of the PSC told THISDAY yesterday that the commission would resist any attempt to hijack or undermine its mandate.
“The commission is amazed and disappointed by the development but will resist any attempt to hijack or undermine its mandate,” the source said.

The Court of Appeal had in its judgment, declared that the Police Act 2020, enacted in September of the same year as it affects the constitutional mandate of the Police Service Commission is unconstitutional and void.

The provision of the Act, it ruled, was obviously in conflict with paragraph 30 Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, which empowers the commission to appoint persons into offices in the Nigeria Police Force except for the office of the Inspector General of Police.

The details of the Appeal Court judgment in the appeal instituted by the commission against the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, was contained in the Certified True Copy (CTC) received by the Commission on Tuesday, October 13, 2020.

Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, one of the three Justices of the Court in his concurrent judgment, ruled that Paragraph 30 of Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution gives the power to the commission to appoint persons into offices in the Nigeria Police “and did not exclude constables and cadets to Nigeria Police Academy from offices in the Nigeria Police into which the appellant can appoint persons”

He further declared that no Act of the National Assembly or law can take away or curtail such power.
Justice Agim noted that even if the Nigeria Police carried out the disputed enlistment under a directive or approval of the President of the federation, “the enlistment would remain contrary to the Constitution and therefore unconstitutional and void. Such a directive cannot repair its unconstitutionality and illegality”.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Olabisi Ige, the Court of Appeal gave a declaration that by Section 1 subsection 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) “any piece of legislation or instrument relied upon by the defendants (including but not limited to the Police Act and the Police Regulations) in exercising or purporting to exercise the powers to appoint, promote, dismiss or discipline persons holding or aspiring to hold offices in the Nigeria Police Force, being inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution particularly section 153 subsection (1)(m), Section 153 subsection (2) and section 215(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Paragraph 30 part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution, is invalid, null and void and of no effect whatsoever”

It also gave an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Police, and other defendants, jointly and severally, from interfering or further interfering in any manner howsoever with the commission’s discharge of its constitutional and statutory functions in “respect of the appointment, promotion, dismissal, or exercise of disciplinary control over persons holding or aspiring to hold offices in the Nigeria Police Force other than the Inspector General of Police”.

Attempt to reach Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, a Commissioner of Police, was unsuccessful, as he did not respond to text messages sent to his mobile phone on the issue.

Thisdaylive

Related Topics:constables police PSC recruitment

Up Next

DSS raises the alarm over insurgents’ plan to attack military bases in border towns

Don't Miss

My 10-month-old baby reason I’ve not committed suicide – Amputee impregnated, dumped by Facebook lover

metro

Woman dies after husband allegedly assaults her over cooking, dance class

Published

6 hours ago

September 9, 2026

Trends Admin

Woman dies after husband allegedly assaults her over cooking, dance class

A 38-year-old woman, Yamini Krishna Lal Yadav, has died in Nagpur, India, after her husband allegedly assaulted her during an argument over cooking and her decision to attend a dance class.

The woman’s husband, Krishna Lal Yadav, 41, has been arrested and booked in connection with her death after a post-mortem examination reportedly revealed serious internal injuries.

The incident occurred in the Mankapur area of Nagpur, Maharashtra, where the couple lived with their two young children.

According to reports, Krishna returned home from work and asked his wife to prepare food for him and the children. Yamini, however, was reportedly preparing to attend a dance class within their housing society and declined to cook at the time.

The disagreement allegedly escalated into a physical confrontation. Police said the husband was reportedly under the influence of alcohol when he allegedly assaulted Yamini around her neck and abdomen. The incident reportedly occurred in the presence of their children.

After the alleged assault, Yamini complained of severe pain in her neck and abdomen and reportedly asked her husband to get painkillers. He allegedly went to a nearby medical shop but returned after finding it closed.

Her condition later deteriorated, with her abdomen reportedly becoming swollen. She was subsequently taken to a private hospital in the area for treatment but died while receiving medical attention.

READ ALSO:

The case initially appeared to be an accidental death, prompting police to send her body for a post-mortem examination.

However, the examination reportedly revealed a fractured neck bone and severe internal injuries, including serious damage to the intestines. Reports also indicated injuries consistent with strangulation and abdominal trauma, prompting investigators to reconsider the circumstances surrounding her death.

Following the post-mortem findings, police questioned Krishna and subsequently arrested him. A murder case was registered against him as investigations continued.

Yamini’s brother reportedly said the family was aware that the couple had experienced disagreements in the past. He said Yamini had occasionally spoken about problems in the marriage but had asked relatives not to intervene because she feared their involvement could worsen the situation.

The family initially believed Yamini had died following a medical emergency and was reportedly shocked when the post-mortem examination revealed evidence of significant physical injuries.

Police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the Nagpur woman, while the accused remains in custody over the allegations.

The case has renewed concerns about domestic violence, particularly the need for victims experiencing abuse to have access to timely support and protection.

Woman dies after husband allegedly assaults her over cooking, dance class

metro

NSCIA warns FG against weaponising state institutions in El-Rufai case

Published

7 hours ago

September 9, 2026

Trends Admin

Secretary-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede

NSCIA warns FG against weaponising state institutions in El-Rufai case

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs breaks its silence on the former governor’s legal ordeal, citing “serious concerns” over possible sectarian agenda in the multiple prosecutions keeping El-Rufai in the spotlight.

ABUJA – The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has raised the alarm over what it described as “an extraneous involvement of an underlying religious bias” in the ongoing prosecutions of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. The Islamic body, which had deliberately stayed out of the controversy until now, said recent developments had forced it to break its silence on the matter. In a statement signed by its Secretary-General and immediate-past Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, the NSCIA explained that its earlier restraint was based on its belief that El-Rufai’s prosecution, like those involving other political figures, was a standard judicial process and that the judiciary had the inherent capacity to uphold justice. However, the council said recent developments in the public domain had raised serious concerns that strongly suggested religious considerations might be creeping into a process that should be determined solely by law and evidence.

The NSCIA called on the Federal Government and the Judiciary to ensure that individuals with vested religious interests were strictly prevented from weaponising public institutions or the legal system to pursue what it described as a sectarian agenda against El-Rufai. “Consequently, the Council calls upon the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Judiciary to ensure that individuals with vested religious interests are strictly prevented from weaponizing public institutions or the legal system to execute a sectarian agenda against him,” the statement read. The council stressed that its position was anchored on the Islamic principle of justice and fairness, regardless of political, religious or personal considerations, and clarified that its intervention was not intended to interfere with the judicial process but to emphasise the need for justice to be administered without religious or sectarian considerations. The Islamic body also appealed to the general public to refrain from incendiary comments that could prejudice the fair trial of El-Rufai or exacerbate the security situation in the nation. “Furthermore, the Council appeals to the general public to refrain from incendiary comments that could prejudice the fair trial of Mallam El-Rufai or exacerbate the security situation in our nation,” the statement read.

READ ALSO:

The NSCIA‘s intervention comes against the backdrop of a protracted legal battle that has kept El-Rufai in the spotlight since February 2026. The former governor is facing multiple prosecutions by different agencies on charges bordering on alleged abuse of office, money laundering, breach of national security, and wiretapping. The council’s decision to speak out followed comments by the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), who accused El-Rufai of planning killings in Southern Kaduna while he was governor between 2015 and 2023. Musa had described the situation in Kaduna during El-Rufai’s administration as “toxic”, adding that many residents of Southern Kaduna remained unhappy with the former governor over killings recorded in the area.

El-Rufai, through his family, rejected the allegation and demanded that the minister withdraw the claim, with his eldest son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, giving Musa seven days to provide evidence supporting the allegation or publicly retract it. The controversy generated by Musa’s remarks has further widened the debate surrounding El-Rufai’s legal battles, with the NSCIA‘s intervention effectively placing the prosecution within a wider debate over the alleged politicisation and religious manipulation of state institutions. The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has taken a sharply divergent position, backing the Defence Minister’s allegations and demanding an independent investigation into alleged killings and human rights abuses during El-Rufai’s administration, with possible prosecution before the International Criminal Court (ICC). The NSCIA’s intervention, which did not identify any individual or group it accused of pursuing a religious agenda, serves as a significant development in a case that has become a flashpoint for broader debates about judicial independence, political persecution, and religious neutrality in Nigeria’s legal system.

The council concluded its statement by praying for peace, stability and security in Nigeria. “May Almighty Allah grant peace, stability, and security to Nigeria,” it said.

NSCIA warns FG against weaponising state institutions in El-Rufai case

metro

Bandits abduct Kaduna lawmaker’s brother, kill three KADVS operatives

Published

8 hours ago

September 9, 2026

Trends Admin

Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State, CP Muhammad Rabiu

Bandits abduct Kaduna lawmaker’s brother, kill three KADVS operatives

Suspected bandits have abducted the younger brother of a Kaduna State lawmaker and killed three personnel of the Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVS) in separate attacks in Kubau Local Government Area of the state.

The incidents, which occurred within hours of each other, have heightened security concerns in Pambegua and surrounding communities, with the attacks taking place along the Zaria-Pambegua axis before the lawmaker’s brother was abducted from his residence.

The KADVS Public Relations Officer, Yunusa Ibrahim, confirmed the incidents in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Ibrahim identified the abducted victim as Sanusi, the younger brother of Shehu Pambegua, who represents Kubau Constituency in the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

According to the KADVS spokesman, the suspected attackers arrived at Sanusi’s residence in a Sharon vehicle at about 10pm on Monday and forcibly took him away.

The abduction came after three KADVS personnel were killed earlier in the day while carrying out a routine security operation in the area.

The deceased personnel were identified as Dallami Dantani, the Second-in-Command of KADVS in Kubau, Abdullahi Hamisu and Zakariyya Musa.

Ibrahim said the incident began when the vigilantes attempted to stop a red Volkswagen Golf Salon during a routine check, but the driver allegedly refused to comply.

READ ALSO:

The KADVS personnel reportedly pursued the vehicle in their patrol van in an effort to identify the occupants and establish why they were travelling through the area.

The occupants allegedly opened fire during the pursuit, killing Dantani.

The attackers reportedly turned back towards the KADVS office after the initial shooting and opened fire on the personnel there, killing Hamisu and Musa before escaping towards Zaria.

The killings occurred hours before Sanusi was reportedly abducted from his residence, creating renewed anxiety among residents and security personnel in the area.

Reacting to the deaths, the Kaduna State Commander of KADVS, CP Ali Audu (rtd.), condoled with the families of the three personnel and described their deaths as a major loss to the service.

Audu praised the deceased personnel for their courage and commitment to duty, assuring their families that their sacrifices would be remembered.

He also pledged the continued support of the service to the bereaved families.

The KADVS commander disclosed that security surveillance had been intensified in Pambegua and neighbouring communities as efforts continued to locate the abducted victim and identify those responsible for the attacks.

He urged KADVS personnel to remain vigilant while carrying out their duties and strengthen collaboration with other security agencies, particularly in communities regarded as vulnerable to bandit attacks and kidnapping.

Audu reaffirmed the service’s commitment to protecting residents and property across Kaduna State.

As of the latest reports, authorities have not announced the arrest of any suspect or the rescue of Sanusi. The circumstances surrounding his abduction remain under investigation as security agencies intensify efforts to locate him and bring those responsible for the attacks to justice.

The latest incidents have further underscored the security challenges facing parts of Kaduna State, where residents have continued to contend with threats linked to banditry, kidnapping and armed attacks.