By Correspondent in Abuja
The Police Service Commission (PSC),has described as untrue the comments credited to the leadership of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a pan Igbo Socio Cultural group, on the recent promotions into different offices of the Nigeria Police Force.
A statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations(PSC), Mr Ikechuckwu Ani, said the Ohanaeze noted that only one Igbo son was promoted to the rank of CP in the recent exercise and that all Commissioners of Police in the South East are Northerners.
“It also observed that not many Igbo Officers are in the high echelon of the Force.
The Commission said it holds Ohanaeze and it’s leadership in high esteem and would wish to clarify its position in the Promotion and placement of senior Police officers.
Ani said, “The Commission wishes to state that promotion of senior Police Officers, including promotion into the office of Commissioner of Police are based on availability of vacancies, seniority, free of any pending disciplinary matter and merit, except in few cases of special promotion”.
He noted that even for special promotion, there were laid down rules, regulations and conditions which an Officer must satisfy such as; must have stayed two years in a rank; must not have had any special
Promotion in the immediate past five years and must not have a pending disciplinary matter, (PDM).
He said the Commission also allowed the Inspector General of Police, who is the operational head of the Police, to recommend qualified and deserving Officers to the Commission for Promotion.
“This is a synergy the Commission has forged with the Police to ensure complementarity in the management of it’s Officers,”he added.
According to Another, the Commission do not and has never approved Promotion of any Police Officer based on ethnic or any other consideration except the ones stated above.
“It is also important to state that it is not true that Command Commissioners of Police in the South East are all from the North.
“The CPs for Imo, Abia and Anambra state Commands are not Northerners. Only the CPs for Enugu and Ebonyi are from the North, just as there are Igbo CPs in other Zones.
” The CP for Bayelsa and Oyo States are Igbos. There are also many other Igbo sons who are Commissioners of Police of different Police formations in the country.’
“It is also not true that not many Igbo Officers are in the high echelon of the Force.
“Just recently, an Igbo son, former Commissioner of Police in charge of Police Budget who was promoted a Deputy Inspector General of Police was deployed as DIG A, that is overseeing Administration and Finance, a very sensitive Department in the Police Management team,”Ani further said
He expressed the assurances of the Commission to the leadership of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, adding that PSC would at no time consciously marginalize any section of the country in the promotion and deployment of senior Police Officers.
“The Commission will continue to be guided by the established rules guiding promotions in the police and in the larger interest of the Nigerian nation,” according to PSC’s image maker.