Police screen personnel with additional qualification, says I-G

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, on Wednesday, said that personnel with additional qualification may be elevated in the next one or two months after screening.

Arase made this known in an interview with newsmen shortly after inaugurating a press centre for Police Press Corps at the Force Headquarters.

He said no fewer than 1,000 of such personnel had submitted their certificates for screening.

It would be recalled that the immediate past I-G, Mr Suleiman Abba, had directed heads of commands and formations nationwide to compile and forward names of personnel with additional qualification.

Arase, who gave an update on the directive, explained that the general elections delayed the screening process.

He said “yes, they are processing the applications, what happened was that it coincided with the elections and we felt that we cannot be doing several things at the same time, so, we decided to keep that in abeyance until the elections are over.

“Now the Force Secretary and the AIG in charge of administration have started processing it and those officers who submitted applications to us will be screened.

“However, possessing the certificate alone does not necessary make you qualified to meet our standard, you will have to go through some tests and verification of the certificates.’’

Meanwhile, the I-G decorated 14 newly promoted Commissioners of Police with their new ranks on Wednesday.

Speaking after the decoration, Arase charged senior officers to institutionalise the policy thrust of the current leadership of the police wherever they were posted.

Arase said this included zero tolerance for corruption, intelligent-led policing and restorative justice and also charged them to treat their subordinates well to encourage them.

“We are passionate about the welfare of the rank and file; wherever you find them, treat them well.

“Their welfare is paramount; you cannot talk about fighting corruption without addressing their welfare side by side,’’ he said.

The newly promoted officers are Hyelasinda Musa, Adeleye Oyebade, Olusola Subair, Shaba Alkali, Basen Gwana, David Folawiyo, Zanna Ibrahim, Ogbusua Oleh, Nkpa Inakwu, Anthony Michael and Emmanuel Ojukwu.

Others are Christ Ezike, Moses Jitoboh and Charles Ugomoh.

Responding on behalf of other officers, Musa thanked the I-G and the police management for the promotion.

He described their elevation as a positive development but added that they had waited long for it.

“This gesture is encouraging and will motivate us to do more.

“Therefore, we make bold covenant that we shall continue to be steadfast, resolute, loyal, patriotic and selfless in the discharge of our duties,’’ he said.

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