Recruitment crisis;PSC rejects IGP list for successful candidates, warns public to be wary 

Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Police Service Commission(PSC), Tuesday rejected the list of successful candidates for published by the force headquarters in Abuja.for training in the ongoing recruitment of ten thousand constable into the force.

PSC head of public relations and information, Ikechukwu Ani, described the list is an act of illegality and “serious breach of the Federal Character requirements”.

He has therefore called on the public to be wary of the list. He the commission will soon resume the remaining stages of the recruitment process and release the authentic list of successful candidates, local government by local government.

Ani in a statement said “The Police Service Commission dissociates itself from a purported list of candidates scheduled for training and allegedly released by the Nigeria Police Force in respect of the recruitment exercise into the Constable cadre of the Force. The Commission notes that the list released by the Police is an act of illegality and from close observation was in serious breach of the Federal Character requirements.

“The Commission urges the public to be wary of the list as it will soon resume the remaining stages of the recruitment process and release the authentic list of successful candidates, local government by local government.

“The Commission is presently in Court against the Nigeria Police Force over the hijack of its constitutional powers to recruit and had filed originating summons and interlocutory injunction restraining the NPF from going ahead with the exercise.  The processes filed since the 27th of September 2019, by Kanu G. Agabi, CON, SAN, were brought to the knowledge of the Inspector General of Police the same day.

“In the letter notifying the IGP of the pendency of the suit, No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1124/2019; Kanu Agabi, SAN, had stated “we write to inform you of the pendency of the above mentioned suit before the Federal High Court Abuja. By this notice you are to stay further action in the subject matter of this suit pending the hearing and determination of the case”.

“It is unfortunate that despite the pendency of the Court processes, the Nigeria Police Force went ahead to release a purported list of candidates it has invited for training.

“The Commission wishes to state that the list is unknown to it as it believes it is a product of illegality. The hearing for the Commission’s suit has been scheduled for Wednesday, October 23rd at the Federal High Court 5, Abuja”.