Nigeria Content Online

Imminent crisis
appears to be brewing in the Nigeria Police Force as six officers and
men of the force from across the country have sent a signed petition to
the presidency over alleged discrimination in the promotion of officers
of the force who have acquired some additional educational
qualifications while in service to the rank of Assistant Superintendent
of Police (ASP).

In the petition,
also sent to the National Assembly, ministry of police affairs, police
service commission and the Inspector General of Police, the officers
complained that they were denied promotion even when they fell within
the minimum and maximum score for promotion after their examination at
the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), commissioned by a
former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero.

In the petition,
which was signed by an Inspector from Kaduna State Command, a sergeant
from Ekiti State command, a corporal from Edo State command, a
constable from Zamfara State command, a corporal from Akwa Ibom State
command and a corporal from Lagos State command (all names withheld) on
behalf of over 2,000 of their colleagues, they alleged that since 2007
when ASCON was commissioned by Mr Ehindero to conduct examination for
graduate inspectors and other rank and file of the force, they had
written and passed the examination but that, to their chagrin, others
who performed below the benchmark were promoted while they that scored
within the range have remained without promotion. The aggrieved
officers also alleged that the leadership of the force, instead of
selecting the best for promotion in the first batch of those who sat
for the examination, selected the first 500 candidates and included
others who scored below the minimum score. This process, they said was
continued in the second batch which, according to them, has resulted in
leaving out qualified personnel in the first batch without promotion,
even when the second batch are being promoted.

“The question now
is when are these much hated and discriminated Inspectors and rank and
file going to be elevated to their hard earned and much desired status
as Assistant Superintendant of Police which is the hallmark for their
hard work and struggle for self development that transcends to high
service delivery?” the petition said in part.

“This has shown that the Nigeria Police prefer mediocre and school
dropouts who they can use to perpetrate aggression, humiliation, gross
violation of human rights and continuous extortion of money from the
public they are paid to protect, to the highly educated and intelligent
people who can challenge and disobey their unlawful orders.” The
unhappy officers also lamented that these situations have made the
police force a “dumping ground for all comers.”