PSC has sole right to recruit constables, Supreme Court rules

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has ruled that the Police Service Commission has the sole responsibility of recruiting police personnel.Recall that the last recruitment of constables was suspended due to disagreements between the PSC and the management of the Nigerian Police Force.In a statement, PSC spokesperson Ikechukwu Ani stated, while announcing the time judgment, that a recruitment board has been constituted.
He stated: On the 11th of July, 2023, the Supreme Court decided and laid to rest the contentious issue and controversy between the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force as to whose duty it is to recruit constables for the Nigeria Police. In the judgment, the Supreme Court unequivocallypronounced the Police Service Commission as the agency statutorily mandated to do so.
“Prior to the judgment, efforts were already in process and at an advanced stage towards an amicable resolution of the issue.between the two critical institutions, as it was highly embarrassing to the government and indeed other stakeholders for the duo, which ought towork in harmony and mutuality to have engaged in such avoidable legal disputation over an issue that sought understanding, respect, andcompromise.
“Reacting to the judgment, Commission Chairman, Dr. Solomon Arase, CFR, retired Inspector General of Police, said the judgment simply and legally cements the resolution of the issue in a win-win situation for the two institutions, which ordinarily cannot effectively function and deliver on their respective mandates.without the cooperation of each other. It must be said and seen.Therefore, the judgment is delivered in the overall best interest of our national security and goes to underscore the imperative need forharmonious working relationship and mutual trust amongst agencies ofGovernment. Consequently, it is important that all concerned de-escalate and eschew all forms of hostilities, misconceptions, preconceptions, andprejudices against each other, which were at the base of the hitherto characterized no love lost relationship between the Commission and the NPF. He noted that the unnecessary imbrogilo impacted negatively on the staff of the Police Service Commission, officers, and other ranks of the Nigeria Police Force.
“Going forward, he announced that a recruitment board has been constituted,chaired by the Police Service Commission, with other relevant stakeholders as members, and will be inaugurated in no distant time. The Board will screen and ensure that only able and qualified members of theThe public is recruited into the NPF, reflecting the principle of federal character.
“The imperativeness of peace, harmony, and cordiality between the two institutions, according to him, cannot be overemphasized, as contemporary securityProvisioning has become more challenging than ever and demands a robust policy guideline from the Commission if the Nigeria Police Force mustbe repositioned for greater efficiency and effectiveness in not only meeting up with the myriad of security challenges confronting our dear country, Nigeria, but also birthing a responsive, responsible, andaccountable to our people. Peace is essential for the growth and success of any institution in delivering on its mandate, and it is hopedthat the Commission and NPF will continue to build and consolidate on the emerging trust, confidence, and mutual respect, which will aggregateto foster and entrench a culture of love and a symbiotic relationship between the two agencies towards the attainment of our statutorymandates, for a greater, safer, prosperous, and more