Obasanjo asks FG to appoint civilian head of PSC

Tamarauemi Ebimini

The Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday, asked Federal Government to appoint a civil servant to head the Police Service Commission (PSC), in order to address the lingering war between the police force and PSC.

Obasanjo, who made the call at the public presentation of a book, ‘Policing the Nigeria Police’ authored by a former PSC chairman, Simon Okeke, said retired police must not be charged of PSC.

He said that it was a disservice to the nation to always appoint retired police officers to head a supervising agency that oversees the activities of the police officers.

He further stated that the mandate of the PSC as stated in the 2001PSC ACT stated that it was the job, however, the inspector-general of police has often times, gone beyond their duties to interfere with the jobs of the PSC.

He further contended that the Police should be allowed to be monitored and supervised as stated in the PSC ACT and that the PSC must be allowed to do its normal oversight function.

Speaking on the creation of state police, the former president said though the book spoke on the creation of state police, he is calling for the creation of a state guard that would assist in tackling the challenges of insecurities in the state.

He stated that the argument of state governors abusing the state police can not stand the test of time as even the federal government has been found guilty of misusing the police too.

He further called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to implement state police to adequately safeguard the lives and properties of Nigerians at the state level.