Police Vs PSC: IGP Adamu Approach Supreme Court Over Recruitment

Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector-General of Police, has asked the Supreme Court to upturn the ruling of the Appeal Court which nullified the ongoing recruitment of 10,000 constables.

Recall that the Court of Appeal on Wednesday had halted the recruitment process, stated that the IGP and the NPF lacked the power to recruit the constables.

Justice Olabisi Ige, who led the three-man panel, had ruled that the Police Service Commission (PSC) is the body constitutionally saddled with the responsibility to recruit.

But IGP Adamu and the NPF, through their lawyer, Alex Izinyon (SAN), wrote to PSC Chairman to stay action on Friday.

The notice of appeal said the Court of Appeal “erred in law when they held that the provision of section 71 of the Nigeria Police Regulations 1968 made pursuant to section 46 of the Police Act is inconsistent with the provision of paragraph 30 Part I of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution”.

It stated that section 71 of the Nigeria Police Regulations 1968 conferred on the IGP “the power and responsibility of enlisting recruit constables”, while the provision of “Paragraph 30 Part I of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution and section 6 of the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act, 2001, the 1st respondent is empowered to appoint persons to offices in the 1st appellant”.

The appellants noted that the Court of Appeal was on an error in its findings that the provision of Section 71 of the Nigeria Police Regulations, 1968 made pursuant to Section 46 of the Police Act is inconsistent with the provision of paragraph 30 Part I of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution.

They are asking the Supreme Court to set aside the Court of Appeal judgment, dismiss the appeal filed by the PSC, and affirm the judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on December 2, 2019.