Police Service Commission approves dismissal, demotion of officers

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved with immediate effect the dismissal of nine senior Police Officers for gross misconduct.

The Commission said it also approved the reduction in rank of six officers for different cases of misconduct.

According to a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by the Commission’s Spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, the decisions were part of the outcome of its 5th plenary meeting which held in Abuja on 26th and 27th of March, 2019 and presided over by its Chairman, Musiliu Smith.

Ani said the Commission also approved the punishment of severe reprimand for ten officers while one officer, CP. Austin Agbonlahor was exonerated.

The Commission said one of the dismissed officers, SP Adamu Damji Abare will also be prosecuted while SP Abdul Yahaya Ahmed and another SP who also had his promotion from SP to CSP withdrawn before his dismissal.

The Commission said it has requested the IGP to provide it with information on the punishment awarded to other officers mentioned in the Police Investigation Reports involving SP. Abare with regards to irregularities in the conduct of the 2011 recruitment exercise.

Others officers dismissed are; DSP Osondu Christian, DSP Samson Ahmidu and DSP Pius Timiala who will be prosecuted and whose promotion from DSP to SP was withdrawn. Four Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASPs) were also dismissed for various wrongdoings. They are; Agatha Usman, Esther Yahaya, Idris Shehu and Usman Hassan Dass.

Those whose ranks were reduced are; Oluwatoyin Adesope and Mansir Bako were reduced in rank from SP to DSP while Gbenle Mathew; Tijani Saifullahi; Sadiq Idris and Alice Abbah were reduced from the rank of DSP to ASP.

Ani said the commission’s decisions have been conveyed to the Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu for implementation in a letter signed by the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Commission, Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri.