Court dismisses PSC’s case, upholds IGP’s power to recruit

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday upheld the power of the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Council under the control of the Inspector-General of Police to recruit constables into the NPF.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in his judgment, dismissed the suit filed by the Police Service Commission to challenge the power of the NPF and the IGP, Mohammed Adamu, to carry out the ongoing exercise of recruiting 10,000 police constables.

The judge held that the PSC’s case lacked merit.

The judge held that the law guiding the enlistment of constables into the NPF was the Nigeria Police Regulations of 1968, issued by the Nigerian President in accordance with the provisions of Section 46 of the Police Act 1967 (No 41), providing for the organisation and administration of the police force.

The judge noted that section 71 of the Nigeria Police Service Regulations gave the power to enlist constables to the Police Council under the control of the IGP and not the PSC.

He ruled that the PSC by its enabling law could only appoint constables after the enlistment exercise carried out by the NPF.

He added that the Civil Service Rules cited by the PSC in defining the meaning of “appointment” to include “recruitment” did not apply to the NPF, not being a civil service.

The judge also noted that contrary to the allegation by the PSC that the NPF and the IGP were attempting to usurp its powers to recruit the constables, it was the PSC that was attempting to usurp their powers to do so.