EFCC Chair Magu, Abba Kyari, Many Police Commissioners Plus Over 1000 Officers Who Enjoyed Special Promotion From 2015 May Be Demoted

The Police Service Commission, PSC, is planning to reverse the promotion of over 1,000 police officers who enjoyed special promotions from 2015 to date, inside sources revealed, DAILY NIGERIAN is reporting.

DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that there has been heated debate within the commission on whether to draw a line or cancel all the special promotions within the stated period.

Already a committee has been set by the commission chairman, Musiliu Smith, to identify the beneficiaries of the promotion for possible action.

Sources told our reporter that Najatu Mohammed is top among the members of the commission who insisted that the wrong done by the immediate-past PSC leadership be corrected to instill discipline in the service and boost the morale of the officers.

“But some members of the commission countered her position, insisting that a line be drawn henceforth in order to avoid chaos,” said a source who preferred anonymity.

“Under Yar’Adua similar promotions were reversed. But the difference between now and then was the fact that at that time there was no PSC commissioners appointed to ratify the promotion. So the then IG took it to the president for approval. I remember Nuhu Ribadu was affected.

“Since the president was not allowed by law to approve the promotion, it became illegal,” said a retired officer who preferred not to be named.

Prominent among the officers who enjoyed special promotion without writing examination include the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu; President Buhari’s Personal Security Officer, Abdulkarim Dauda Daura and; head of Intelligence Response Unit, Abba Kyari.

Others are force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood; Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi; Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Garba Umar; Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Ali Janga; Commissioner of Police in charge of Legal Department, David Igbodo; Kolo Yusuf; Commissioner in charge of Monitoring Unit, Habu Sani, and many ADCs to top officials.

While Mr Buhari’s PSO enjoyed special promotions three times, the EFCC boss enjoyed the privilege twice.

The spokesman for the commission, Ikechukwu Ani, told DAILY NIGERIAN that he has not been briefed about the development.

But a statement he released earlier on Friday quoted Mr Smith as saying henceforth police officers will no longer be promoted to the next rank without the requisite training programmes and examinations.

Mr Smith disclosed this at a meeting with the management of the Nigeria Police Force on Friday in Abuja.

“From now and henceforth, one of the conditions for promotion must be attendance and passing the senior Command Course for senior officers and other prescribed courses for others,” he said.

Although Mr Smith is silent about plan to reverse the previous special promotions, he revealed that the force previously had promoted officers severally without attending the requisite training programmes attached to the ranks.

“Henceforth, result of performance of officers from appropriate training courses must be attached to the recommendation to the commission for promotion,” he said.

Mr Smith, who also frowned at irregular postings of officers, said that officers should be allowed to stay at a new post for two to three years.