The new board of the Police Service Com­mission (PSC) held its first plenary meeting on Friday, where the decision to promote 684 senior police officers was finalised.
The Commission’s Chair­man, DIG Hashimu Argungu, mni, presided over a meeting attended by DIG Taiwo Laka­nu, Commissioner, and Chief Onyemuche Nnamani, Secre­tary to the Commission.
Eight Commissioners of Police were promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police, and 15 Dep­uty Commissioners of Police were promoted to the next level of Commissioner of Police.
Another 52 Chief Superin­tendents of Police were promot­ed to Assistant Commissioners of Police, 525 Superintendents to Chief Superintendents of Police, and 84 Deputy Superin­tendents to Superintendents of Police. ASP Patrick Ebhodahe was promoted to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
The eight Commissioners of Police and 15 Deputy Com­missioners were subjected to some form of assessment/ examination, which is now re­quired for their promotion to the new ranks.
Argungu stated that offi­cers must engage in deliberate self-development through con­stant knowledge acquisition to be ready and equipped to meet the challenges of 21st-century policing.
DIG Argungu stated that Police Officers will be subject­ed to a formal examination before being considered for promotion, emphasising that this is a requirement imposed on all federal civil and public servants by the Public Service Rules. He stated that police offi­cers will not be exempt.
The PSC Chairman empha­sised the importance of mer­it-based and predictable pro­motions for police officers. He assured that the Commission would not delay the promotion of deserving officers, but that it must be earned.
The following eight Com­missioners of Police were also promoted to Assistant Inspectors General of Police: CP Benneth Igwe, Commis­sioner of Police, Federal Cap­ital Territory, FCT Command; Suleiman Mohammed Abdul, acting Assistant Inspector Gen­eral of Police, PAB, Force Head­quarters Abuja; CP Augustina Nwuka Ogbodo, CP Ebonyi State Command; CP Stephen Olanrewaju, CP Admin, Works, Force Headquarters Abuja; CP Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, CP Abia State Command and CP Fayoade Adeg.