PSC chair calls for overhaul of police constabulary operation
The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mr Solomon Arase, has called for a total overhaul of the police constabulary system in the country.
This is as Arase called for urgent measures to differentiate the Special Constabulary from regular police officers.
This is as he noted that the commission is in touch with the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to see how this can be achieved.
Arase, a retired Inspector-General of Police, made the call in a statement issued on Thursday by the commission’s spokesperson, Mr Ikechukwu Ani.
He said that there should be a clear definition of their operations, including uniforms and rules of engagement.
According to Arase, the Police Service Commission is no longer comfortable with the organisation and operations of the Special Police Constabulary nationwide.
He said that the commission was already in contact with the IG on the need to overhaul the organisation and operations of the outfit.
The chairman said that there had been several reports of unprofessional conduct by officers of the outfit (a quasi-police formation created to assist in community policing).
“Reports of their unprofessional conduct range from high-handedness in dealing with citizens to barefaced extortion on our roads and communities.
“The commission calls for an entirely different set of uniforms for officers of the outfit that should be easily differentiated from those of regular police officers.
“This will help to track appropriately the conduct of men of the outfit and that of regular police officers and free the Nigeria Police Force from blames associated with the misconduct of men of the outfit,” he said.
PUNCH Online notes that this might not be inseparable from the recent dismissal of two police constables in Oyo State over a viral video that indicated extortion of a foreign tourist.
The Police Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said last week that the Police Special Constabularies involved were not regular police personnel but constabularies.
Arase called for the disbanding of the outfit in states where members aren’t paid and supported.
He highlighted the danger of arming and licencing a group to enforce security without proper financial support.
The former IG noted that these individuals often turn to extortion and intimidation in the absence of fair compensation.
PUNCH Online earlier in June reported that Arase promised he was building a new Nigeria Police Force that would once again be attractive to the youths.
