•Force acquires 4,388 housing units
From Molly Kilete. Abuja
The recruitment of 10, 000 policemen by the Police Service Commission (PSC) will begin today.
President Muhammadu Buhari had last year, during the National Security Summit in Abuja directed the recruitment of 10,000 personnel into the force to address the obvious shortfall in the manpower needs.
Speaking on the recruitment yesterday in Abuja, the PSC Chairman, former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Sir Mike Okiro (retd), warned the commission workers who would be involved in the screening of candidates to avoid any act that would compromise the integrity of the exercise, saying any staff involved will be sanctioned in line with the Public Service Rules and may be prosecuted for sabotage.
He charged the workers to live above board “as the commission is ready to make a huge success of this presidential assignment in line with its resolution to discharge its duties within the ambit of the law, transparently, and according to laid down rules.”
The PSC chairman also warned interested candidates to desist from indulging or inducing the PSC workers as anyone caught will be arrested and prosecuted.
He said the force deserved the best brains in the country, stressing that the PSC would ensure that only the best will be engaged as policemen.
Meanwhile, the Force Headquarters yesterday said it has acquired 4,388 housing units in 22 housing estates across the country for purchase by its personnel.
Inspector-General of Police(IGP), Solomon Arase, who made this known while inaugurating the NPF Brick City Housing Estate, Kubwa, said 700 housing units were acquired under his administration, while 2,291 were under various stages of construction.
He said the estates were made possible by the Nigeria Police Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited, which was established in 1977 to develop and improve on welfare of police officers, adding that the houses were allocated to personnel through a reasonable mortgage arrangement, adding that police officers across various cadres had benefitted from the housing scheme.
The IGP said the Brick City Estate consists of 96 units of one bedroom flats, 40 units of two-bedroom, 44 units of two-bedroom semi-detached , 56 units of three-bedroom semi-detached, and 24 three-bedroom bungalows.
He stated that the estate was fully serviced with tarred road, potable water, electricity, perimeter fence and a security post.
The police boss said the force was not working alone, adding that it partnered real estate experts including a firm, Urban Shelter Ltd., to achieve the goal.
Arase said the welfare of policemen, including the provision of quality and affordable housing was one of his visions when he assumed office.