Contrary to reports circulating through some dailies that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has ordered the sacking of top police officers, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati has released a statement to debunk the report, CEOAFRICA news desk gathered.

Abati said, “The Presidency views the highly sensationalized report as a deliberate attempt to cause anxiety and disaffection amongst the top hierarchy of the Police Force through the willful misrepresentation of President Jonathan’s remarks. The swearing in of the chairman and members of the Police Service Commission at which the president spoke was directly covered by members of the State House Press Corps.”

Furthermore, Abati, as documented by CEOAFRICA, said that the thrust of the president’s remark was for the new chairman and members of the Police Service Commission should strive to effectively discharge their statutory function of enhancing discipline and efficiency in the service.

Abati was also quoted saying” President Jonathan was certainly not giving fresh orders or rewriting the rules when he said:’ People who are promoted to Assistance Commissioner of Police and above must merit the rank. If you don’t merit the rank, you should be retired from the service’. As all Police officers and their counterparts in the Armed Forces and security agencies know, the president’s words were fully in line with existing rule and regulations guiding career progression in the services.”

He then urged the media to exhibit a high level of professionalism and accuracy, rather than twisting the president’s words to promote unrest and unnecessary disturbance.