Following various misconducts and actions unbecoming of public officers in the Nigeria Police Force, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has taken disciplinary actions against 40 police officers found guilty of various misconducts, resulting in the dismissal of 10 senior officers, demotion of nine others and apportioning of various forms of punitive measures against others.
Revealing this today, October 9, in Abuja, Spokesperson for the PSC, IKechukwu Ani, said the commission also approved punishment of various degrees for 18 policemen, while letters of warning were issued to three others.
Ani said the PSC took the decision at its 9th plenary meeting in September, where it treated 43 cases of misconduct reported to the commission.
According to him, the senior officers dismissed were: one Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACPs), two Superintendents of Police (SPs), three Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) and four Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs), adding that six of the officers – one ACP, one SP, two DSPs and two ASPs – would be made to face prosecution.
He stressed, “The dismissed ACP, Magaji Doko was found to have engaged in acts unbecoming of a public officer, disobedience to lawful order, discreditable conduct, unlawful use of authority and scandalous conduct.
“One of the dismissed SPs, Ogedengbe Abraham was found guilty of negligence/loss of government property; disobedience to lawful order and act unbecoming of a public officer.
“The other dismissed SP, Mallam Taluwai was found guilty of discreditable conduct and act unbecoming of a public officer,’’ he divulged, giving the names of the three dismissed DSPs as Okunkonin Daniel, Abisoro Irene and Theresa Nuhu, while the ASPs are Sanusi Rasaki, Uwadala Oba, Ferdinand Idoko and Igolor Ogheneruona.
He said the PSC also approved the compulsory retirement of SP Talba Mohammed, for acts unbecoming of a public officer and dishonesty, while reducing the rank of Muhammad Sani Muhammad from CSP to SP “for unruly behaviour, gross insubordination, gross misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a senior police officer.”
Also demoted were John Oluwarotimi whose rank was reduced from SP to DSP and Mustapha Abubakar, Godwin Agbo and Hassan Hamidu whose ranks were reduced from DSP to ASP.
The ranks of Edeke Michael, Iyanda Olufemi, Asabe Luka and Anode Christopher were also reduced from ASP to Inspector.
The development is coming on the heels of nationwide protests against police brutality and harassment by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Recall that on Monday, this week, a worried Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, personally invaded the office of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, where he told the IGP that the action of his men, especially of FSARS, was becoming unbearable against the youth of the country, and requested that something drastic be done to end trend.
Adamu who gave him strong assurances, promised of deep reforms in the force, sanctioning of officers and protection of the youth, although it was not clear yet if the present sweep in the service was a consequence of that meeting.
- Tag: Policemen in action