PSC Asks IGP To Correct Short-Changing Of South East, North East In Deployment Of CPs To Commands

The acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, may have taken a commendable step by including two females among eight Commissioners of Police deployed to various commands but the lack of federal character in the overall deployment of senior officers across commands in the nation has been faulted.

The Police Service Commission (PSC), on Friday, announced the approval of the IGP’s recommendation to appoint and deploy eight commissioners of police to head some police commands.

The officers include Godwin Aghaulor, Cp Bornu Command; Adebola Hamzat, CP Oyo Command; Samuel Musa, CP Kebbi Command; Aderemi Adeoye, CP Anambra State Command; Stephen Olarewaju, CP Imo Command and Abiodun Alamatu, CP Ogun Command.

The female officers included in deployment are Adelesi Oluwarotimi, CP Kwara Command, and Augustina Ogbodo, CP Ebonyi Command.

The PSC Chairperson, Solomon Arase, commended the acting IGP for adhering to the commission’s latest policy on gender sensitivity in his recommendation.

He, however, noted that the Northeast and Southeast geo-political zones were still underrepresented in the deployment of commissioners of police to various commands.

“The Commission however expects that the Inspector General in his subsequent proposals will include more Officers of North East and South East geopolitical zones that are yet to record the benchmark of 15 percent as decided at its last Plenary Meeting,” Arase reacted.

The PSC, during its last plenary session held two weeks ago, resolved that the appointment and deployment of commissioners of police must meet a 15 per cent benchmark, where each of the six geo-political zones must be duly represented.

Speaking to THE WHISTLER on the matter, a top official at the PSC explained why the 15 per cent benchmark was set, noting that the North East and South East geo-political zones had been shortchanged in the deployment of senior officers in the past and there was the need to ensure equal representation of all regions.

The source said, “The last plenary meeting approved a policy on the appointment of senior police officers and they resolved that for the deployment of CPs, the police should try and have at least 15 per cent in all the geopolitical zones.

“So, if it is five or six officers per geo-political zone that would be deployed, let it be the baseline.

“Also, the commission is commending the IGP for gender inclusiveness, but he should try to make it up to 15 per cent for all the geopolitical zones in the 36 states, plus the FCT.

“So, the deployment of senior officers should meet the 15 per cent requirement because both the North East and South East regions have been shortchanged”.

Checks by THE WHISTLER showed that each geo-political zone requires the deployment of at least six senior officers to meet equal representation of the zones.

Arase further advised the acting IGP to consider the disadvantaged geo-political zones when forwarding subsequent proposals for the commission’s ratification.