In a sweeping action that has sent shockwaves through the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Police Service Commission (PSC) has dismissed 19 senior officers following allegations of misconduct.
The shocking purge was announced on Friday after the commission held an emergency plenary session.
According to Ikechukwu Ani, spokesperson for the PSC, the decision was reached after an extensive review of 110 disciplinary cases, 23 appeals, and 13 court judgments. The dismissed officers include top-ranking personnel: 10 Assistant Superintendents, 6 Deputy Superintendents, 2 Chief Superintendents, and 1 Superintendent.
But the punishment didn’t stop there. The PSC also slashed the ranks of 19 other officers, including an Assistant Commissioner of Police, a Chief Superintendent, two Superintendents, two Deputy Superintendents, and 13 Assistant Superintendents.
In a further shake-up, two Assistant Inspectors General of Police were reprimanded for serious offenses, one for defying lawful orders and another for gross negligence. Several other officers received severe reprimands, reprimands, and warnings, further underscoring the commission’s commitment to rooting out corruption and misconduct within the force.
Hashimu Argungu, Chairman of the PSC, issued a stern warning to officers against involving themselves in civil matters, signaling the commission’s zero-tolerance approach to indiscipline.
This massive shake-up is the latest in the PSC’s ongoing efforts to restore credibility and professionalism to Nigeria’s police force, which has long been plagued by allegations of corruption and misconduct.
