Police DSP Dismissed For Aiding Smuggling Of Arms Into Nigeria, 3 Others For Corruption

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has dismissed four senior police officers over cases of grave misconduct and acts unbecoming of public officers.

The PSC’s decision came after its 10th plenary meeting presided over by Musiliu Smith, the Commission’s Chairman on Friday.

A statement by the PSC Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani on Sunday, said a deputy superintendent of police was dismissed for aiding smuggling of three truck loads of ammunition into the country.

A Chief Superintendent of Police, (CSP), was dismissed for “discreditable conduct and dishonesty” while a Superintendent of Police was dismissed for conspiring with four others to steal a transformer.

The Commission directed that the Officers be prosecuted.

The other dismissed officers is an Assistant Superintendent of Police, (ASP).

The statement read in part: “The DSP was said to have led a team that intercepted three Mercedes Benz trucks conveying about 300,000 live cartridges believed to have been smuggled across the border from Benin Republic into Nigeria.

“The team was said to have impounded the trucks at base for three days but made no entries nor a situation report of the arrest relayed.

“The DSP rather raised a fake letter purporting to escort the vehicles and suspects to Federal SARS Lagos with the dubious intention of ensuring their unlawful release.

“Luck, however, ran out of the team when they were intercepted at a Military checkpoint where soldiers on duty insisted on verifying the contents of the trucks.

“The DSP and his team were said to have abandoned the trucks and fled.”

The commission noted that the ASP was dismissed for misappropriation, action prejudicial to the security of the state; sabotage; dishonesty and act unbecoming of a public officer.

Meanwhile, the Commission also approved the promotion of four Assistant Inspectors General (AIG) of Police to the substantive rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police.

The new DIGs are expected to represent their geo-political zones in the Police Management Team.

13 Commissioners of Police (CPs) were also elevated to the rank of AIG’s; 23 Deputy Commissioners to CP; 29 to Assistant Commissioners to DCP, and 91 Chief Superintendents to Assistant Commissioners.

Also, 599 Superintendents were promoted to CSPs including the Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State, SP Haruna Mohammed; SP Usman Abdullahi Machika, 2i/c SPU Base 7 Abuja and SP Umar Adekunle Fagbemi 2i/c SIB, Rivers State.