Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Acting Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Clara Ogunbiyi, yesterday, assured workers of the commission that, the management had initiated moves to interface with the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingiyadi, and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, in a bid to reach an understanding of each other’s responsibility.
Workers of the commission had embarked on strike to protest the usurpation of the constitutional powers of the commission, a situation that forced the erstwhile chairman of the commission and former police chief, Musuliu Smith, to resign his appointment as chairman.
Addressing the workers in Abuja, Ogunbiyi, who is also a retired Supreme Court Justice, said the mandate of the commission as provided for in paragraphs 29 and 30 of the 3rd Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 6(1) of the Police Service Commission Establishment (Act) 2001 remained sacrosanct.
She informed the staff that the management would engage Dingiyadi and Baba with a view to reaching a common ground of each other’s responsibility, adding that, the management intended to operate an all-inclusive and open door policy as provided by the provision of the relevant
laws.
She, therefore, called on staff of the commission to inculcate mutual respect, good conduct and character among themselves and towards the management, stressing that, “respect begets respect and the management will do its utmost best to take the service delivery in the commission to an enviable and excellent pedestal.”
She solicited the cooperation of all the staff with a view to achieving the mandate of the commission as an effective civilian oversight of the entire police force, a statement by the commission, stated.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police, yesterday, urged the citizenry to avoid taking the law into their hands during any unpleasant encounters with police officers.
This followed a viral video depicting two civilians struggling with the rifle of two police officers, who collected a handset belonging to one of them.
A statement issued by Force Headquarters said, complaints arising from such encounters could be reported to the Police Public Relations Officers (PPROs) of the various state commands, the Complaint Response Unit (CRU) and the official police accounts across social media platforms.
“The idea of pouncing on and beating up law enforcement agents carrying out their public duty by members of the public whom they serve, is criminal and disrespectful to our beloved nation, Nigeria, and must not be allowed to exacerbate,” it said.
The statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer and Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, made reference to a trending video, where some individuals grievously assaulted a police officer and attempted to disarm the officer by dragging his loaded AK47 rifle while and reminded those involved in such acts of the law on serious assault as enshrined on Section 356 (2) of the Criminal Code Act of Southern Nigeria.
