900 policemen kick over alleged lopsided promotion exercise

Some 900 police officers in the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Chief Superintendent of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police are aggrieved for allegedly being sidelined during three consecutive promotion exercises carried out by the Police Service Commission.
The first major promotion was done in March this year, another one came in June and the latest was the one announced by the commission penultimate Thursday.
The aggrieved policemen, in a strong-worded petition to the Senate, signed by one Fred Nwa, claimed that hundreds of their course mates (ASP Course 2010), were promoted to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police, Superintendent of Police and Chief Superintendent of Police, respectively, or given double promotions to the rank of Superintendent of Police in the exercise, while they were not considered at all.
The Commission had approved the promotion of ten Deputy Superintendents of Police to Superintendents of Police.
“The new Deputy Commissioners include Lawrence Onwuka, Amos Markus Omuiyadun, Mathew Akinyosola, Sodipo Rasaki, Mathew Onah and Damain Nkem Okoro. Others are Michael Vigara, Anthony Emonyuya Okpara, Umege Umar, Ebenezer Akintayo Ogunjobi, Titilayo Kayode, Ngozi Vivian Onadeko and Emienbo Tony Tuesday Assayomo.
Also promoted Deputy Commissioners are Christiana Ibiso Cookey, Evelin Tamunoimi Peterside, Philip Aliyu Ogbadu, Eboka Friday, Gabriel Ayodele Oguntuase, Adesina Musbau Soyemi, Steven Folorunsho Igbasan, Ita Okonkon Otu, Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, Asafa Adekunle, Adagunduro A. Tunde, Mobayo Babatunde, Edward Chuka Ebuka, Janet Agbede, Olukode Taoheed Olawale, Taiwo Adegboyega and Abutu Yaro.
“Others are Felix Olusola Okedeji, Josephine Ogechi Nna, Usman Alhassan Belel, Tajudeen Tayose Adeinko, Emmanuel Ngwu, Benjamin Onoja, Bassey Okon Udoh, Joseph Abakpa Anejoh, Alali Smart Pedro, Amos Mathew, Davidson Onyenaju Madu, Hamza M. Amenyi, Godwin Job Akoh, Abimbola Adebola Shokoya and Christopher Adetokun Owolabi.
“The newly promoted Superintendents of Police are Romanus Iwoha, Gold Akponfagha, Yahaya Adamu, Edward Oshadare, Haliru Madaki, Christiana Alabaraonye, Dominic Onyewuchi Nwahiri, Julian Wealth Igbudu, Adenyi Abayomi Ayodeji and Anda Ali.
The announcement is contained in a statement, signed by the Commission’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani.
The statement reads in part, “The Police Service Commission has approved the promotion of forty seven (47) Assistant Commissioners of Police, (ASP), to the next rank of Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP).
“Chairman of the Commission, Mike Mbama Okiro, a retired Inspector General of Police, has congratulated the officers on their promotion.
He urged them to rededicate themselves to the service of the nation, stressing that the Commission will continue to ensure that promotion in the Nigeria Police Force will be regular and based on seniority and merit, amongst other established criteria.
But the petitioners specifically accused officers in the office of the Force Secretary of perpetrating the discriminatory exercise within the force. They narrowed it down to one Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Discipline, ACP Jonathan Toworu.
According to the petition, “Toworu had recently at different fora, allegedly boasted that the affected officers on Course 1/2010, will never be promoted, for as long as he occupies his seat, where he had allegedly spent 10 years.”
They, therefore, appealed that the Presidency and the National Assembly should mandate the Police Management Team and the Police Service Commission to look into the alleged discriminatory promotion exercise.
They also sought a probe into the activities of ACP Jonathan Toworu over the alleged manipulation and selective promotion perpetrated by his office.
It was also gathered that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions has also been served a copy of the petition.
Attempts to speak with the committee’s chairman, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, to know the extent that his panel had gone on the petition failed.
Calls made to his mobile phone were not picked and he did not did not respond to a text message sent to him.
When our correspondent asked the Chairman of the PSC, Mike Okiro, to react to the petition, he said, “Those that are aggrieved over the exercise are free to appeal. There is room in the Force for that. Let them write through the commission, instead of taking petition to the Senate. When we get their complaint, I can assure you that the Commission would look into it.”