PSC Raises Alarm Over Attempts to Hijack it’s Mandate

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has expressed concern over what it described as persistent attempts by vested interests to interfere with its constitutional powers on recruitment, promotion, and discipline within the Nigeria Police Force.

In a statement issued on Monday by its spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, the PSC Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu (retd.), voiced his concerns while receiving a presidential delegation led by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala Usman.

Although Argungu did not name the specific organisations allegedly trying to usurp the PSC’s role, the Commission has previously clashed with the Nigeria Police Force over the recruitment of cadets—a dispute that was later resolved. Currently, the PSC is at loggerheads with the Ministry of Police Affairs over admissions into the Police Academy (POLAC), Wudil, Kano.

The Commission recently dismissed as unauthorised an advertisement calling for applications to the academy issued by POLAC. However, the Ministry, speaking on behalf of the academy, countered the PSC’s stance.

Ani quoted the Chairman as saying: “The Chairman noted that the Commission is grossly underfunded and incapable of effectively and efficiently executing its constitutional mandate of Police recruitment, promotion and discipline, adding that this anomaly is also worsened by a struggle by different and divergent interests to hijack its mandate and dilute its efficiency and effectiveness.”

He further stressed: “According to him, one of the key problems the Police Service Commission is facing is unnecessary interference into its Constitutional and statutory mandate, adding that the Central Result Delivery Coordination Unit should assist the Commission fence off these interlopers and ensure that the Commission is allowed to do its work.”

Argungu warned that unchecked interference could undermine the Commission’s capacity to deliver a police force fit for modern-day security challenges. He also criticised the envelope budgeting system, describing it as restrictive and counterproductive.

“The PSC Chairman complained about the envelope budgetary system, which creates a ceiling in the budgeting process, thereby limiting funding to the core functions of the Commission. DIG Argungu recommended an independent budgeting system for the Commission that gives it the ability to submit its budget directly to the Presidency noting that the PSC Act of 2001 Section 15(1) mandates the Commission to submit its estimate of expenditure and income during the next succeeding year, not later than 30th September in each year to the President,” the statement added.

In her response, Hadiza Bala Usman assured the Commission that the Presidency would work to safeguard its autonomy.

“We will look at your mandate and will ensure you are allowed to do your work. We will de-bottleneck the problems and we will have a PSC that stands alone and not an attachment of any Ministry,” she said.

She explained that the delegation’s visit was to clarify the PSC’s role in driving the administration’s security agenda and to foster stronger collaboration between the Commission and the Ministry of Police Affairs.