The Police Service Commission (PSC), on Wednesday, called on President Bola Tinubu to sack the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for allegedly peddling falsehood and misinformation over the ongoing 2022/23 Police Constable Recruitment Exercise by the commission.
Egbetokun had alleged irregularities and corruption on the recently released names of successful candidates in the ongoing 2022/23 Police Constables Recruitment Exercise.
He further alleged that several names on the list of successful candidates were persons who never even applied and therefore did not take part in the recruitment exercise.
But addressing a press conference at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, the Joint Union Congress of the Police Service Commission (PSC), accused Egbetokun of misleading the president with misinformation.
Speaking on behalf of the joint union, Chairman, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Adoyi Augustine Adoyi, said the allegations of fraud and several other unwholesome acts levelled against the commission and its staff were unfounded.
Adoyi said the claims were spurious, speculative and most irresponsible, especially by the way the allegations were thrown into the public space, even before the official channel of communication for dealing with such matters was explored.
He stated, “We begin this press conference with a clarion call on the President and Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, to immediately relieve the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, of his appointment as IGP.
“Our concern comes from the fact that a public officer, who misleads the president, is causing confusion in the country and may lead to chaos, which is antithetical to his duty as a police officer.
“His attitude has become only a replica of the biblical Haman, who, in deceiving his principal, wanted to wipe out an entire nation, but for the tiny intervention of God. So we call on the president to responsibly relieve him of his duties for the following reasons.”
Adoyi alleged that some elements within the police attempted to smuggle over 1,000 names into the recruitment list, hence, the smear campaign against the commission.
He said, “We have been furnished with reliable information indicating that elements within the police force attempted to smuggle over 1,000 names into the recruitment list.
“This manipulation was a grave breach of the recruitment process and a calculated attempt to undermine the credibility of the entire exercise.
“The commission further reiterated its call for a forensic review of both the commission’s list and the list the police force sought to foist on the recruitment board.
“This will help to ascertain the veracity of the allegation and determine where the truth lies.”
Adoyi explained, “It is important to note, however, that the Police Service Commission does not answer queries from the Nigeria Police Force.
“On the contrary and based on its constitutional and statutory mandate, it is the commission that should be issuing query to the Nigeria Police Force for infractions related to those mandates.
“Having made this clear, we insist that the proposed forensic review must be carried out by an appropriate and independent authority, with proven expertise in forensic investigation and data analysis.”
Ikechukwu Aleke
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