PSC Boss, Smith Decries Bad Image of Police

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Alhaji Musiliu Smith, has stated that the commission is worried over the current bad image of the Nigeria Police Force, an Institution that has continued to receive a lot of bashing from the public.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Head, of Press and Public Relations, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, the new PSC boss also called for the sack of recalcitrant officers in the police.

Smith stated these when he received in audience, a delegation from the West African Conflict and Security Team from the British High Commission and United States Embassy in Nigeria.

He said the “commission will not hesitate to flush out any policeman found to be undisciplined and incompetent,” stressing that recruitment and promotion in the force will now be based on competence.

The former Inspector General of Police (IG) disclosed that the commission would soon hold a retreat to set an agenda for its work.

According to him, “The Nigeria Police are getting a lot of bashing; we are aware of our responsibility to sanitise the place and we are going to ensure that recruitment and promotion will henceforth be based on established rules and majorly on competence.”

Smith said the commission would give Nigerians a disciplined police force, a force they would be proud of and the one that would work within the dictates of the law and established rules and regulations.

He said the commission was aware of the huge responsibilities before it and was prepared to make a success of the challenges.

“We have a very good team; we are focused; we are already discussing on solutions and best ways to improve the police and ensure obedience to law and order. We will maintain close and cordial relationship with your team,“he said.

He requested for assistance from the delegation in the area of building a PSC data base so that the commission would have a reliable data base to manage the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.

He also requested for assistance during the commission’s retreat.

The delegation from the West African Conflict and Security Team were represented by Katrina Aitken-Laird, Security and Justice Adviser, British High Commission and Michael Bonner, Senior Police Advisor, United States Embassy.

They pledged their support to the PSC in the areas of institutional reforms in the police, community policing and capacity building.