Police promotions: PSC denies report on marginalisation of Igbos

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has debunked a report in a national daily (not Nigerian Tribune) where its chairman, Mike Okiro, was quoted to have said that federal character principle should be blamed for the marginalisation of Igbos in senior cadre of the Nigeria Police Force.

The Commission said it noted the statistics published by the newspaper on the spread of officers on Assistant Inspector General (AIG) cadre and that of Commissioner of Police where it erroneously stated that out of the 24 AIGs presently in the Nigeria Police Force, none is an Igbo man.

In a statement signed by a commissioner, Comfort Obi, the commission noted that the Igbos have serving AIGs in the Force.

She said that they include AIG Paul Okafor from Anambra State who is presently AIG Zone 11, Osogbo, and AIG Charles Ugomouh from Aboh Mbaise, Imo State who is AIG in charge of Medical Services, Animal Branch.

According to her, AIG Isaac Eke was, until recently, the AIG in charge of Zone 5 Benin, noting that there are also more than six Commissioners of Police from the Igbo extraction.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission wishes to state that the publication was misleading and baseless, capable of igniting ethnic crisis,” she said.

The statement further noted that, “the chairman of the Commission did not at any time blame the principle of federal character for short-changing the South-East police officers in their advancement to the top hierarchy of the Force, nor did he say that the Igbo have no AIG out of the 24 AIGs.

“As a former Inspector General of Police, Dr. Okiro knows more than enough that career progression in the Nigeria Police force is not based on federal character.

“He knows, and has superintended over a Commission that has continued to place premium on merit, seniority and availability of vacancies as bases for promotion in the Nigeria Police Force.

“For years now, promotion in the Nigeria Police Force from the rank of constable to AIG has been strictly based on the above criteria and not on federal character or any other consideration. Federal Character is used only at the three entry points into the Nigeria Police Force – Constable, Cadet Inspector and Cadet ASP.

“It is necessary to state that the spread of senior police officers remains flexible as officers are promoted as their seniors retire or exit the service through retirement or death.

“And since promotions are based on merit and seniority, any tribe at any time could dominate the cadres in the senior hierarchy of the force.

“The Commission will remain resolute in its commitment to equity, fairness and merit in management of its constitutional responsibilities and will also be guided by the rule of law and fear of God.”