The Police Service Commission (PSC) has said it rejected the recommendation of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris to promote Abdul Salami Iyaji to Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG).
The PSC said Iyaji was replaced with the most senior Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Musa Katsina Mohammed.
As the turn of events reverberated among the rank and file of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Daily Trust learnt that it is a remarkable departure from the norm.
The spokesman of the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement on Monday, also denied that the promotion caused tension in the police as reported in a newspaper (not Daily Trust).
He noted that the report claimed, “the IGP showed disapproval when he learnt of the promotion of Mr. Musa Katsina Muhammed from AIG to DIG by the Commission, instead of AIG Abdulsalam Iyaji, he recommended.”
Ani explained that there is no tension in the Police rather there is a new hope as the Commission moves to sanitize the Force and return it to the path of rectitude.
The NPF on Monday also stated that there is no tension in the Police and IGP did not reject the DIGs promotion adding that all newly promoted DIGs and AIGs were already posted.
The PSC statement said since its assumption of office, the new management of the PSC has insisted on working strictly with laid down rules and regulations guiding its Constitutional mandate of Appointment, Promotion and Discipline.
Ani explained that, “Before the recent promotions, the Nigeria Police Force had four DIGs representing four geo-political zones.”
They are Maigari Dikko, from Katsina, representing the North West; Joshak Habila, from Plateau State, representing the North Central; Emmanuel T. Inyang, from Akwa Ibom State, representing South South; and Agboola Oshodi-Glover, from Lagos, representing South West.
“The Commission considered the recommendations of the IGP of three AIGs for promotion to DIGs. They were Mohammed Sani Usman from Bauchi, representing North East; Peace Ibekwe-Abdallah, from Anambra, representing the South East and Abdul Salami Iyaji from Kogi, representing the North Central,” he said.
He said, “At the time of the recommendation, Musa Katsina Mohammed was the most senior AIG in the Nigeria Police Force but was curiously not recommended.”
He noted that the Commission in its wisdom and satisfying the necessary and relevant requirements approved the recommendations of Sani Usman to take the place of the North East and Ibekwe-Abdallah for the South East.
“It rejected the recommendation of Iyaji and in his place promoted the most senior AIG, Kastsina Mohammed from the North West,” he added.
He said, “It is instructive to note that all the geo-political zones are currently fully represented in the DIG cadre in the Nigeria Police Force and the remaining vacant slot was ceded to the most senior AIG.”
“It is further instructive to note that the IGP is also from Niger State, and invariably also representing the North Central. No Geopolitical Zone is therefore left out in the promotion,” Ani added.
The Commission stated that it is under no obligation to approve all recommendations from the IGP for appointments, promotions or discipline, adding that, “Such powers wholly reside according to the Law with the Police Service Commission.”
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