The Police Service Commission (PSC) has set up a committee to investigate a report published by an online medium that police officers pay up to 10,000 dollars in bribes to get promoted.
The Head, Press and Public Relations of PSC, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
Ani said the report claimed that some police officers gave a $10,000 bribe to get a special promotion from the PSC.
According to him, the report quoted one Chijioke Okonkwo as making the claim in a petition on behalf of some aggrieved senior police officers.
The PSC spokesman said even though the statement from Chijoike Okonkwo did not indicate his rank, the commission would welcome further details on the allegations.
Ani said the commission had not formally received the petition or any similar complaint regarding the allegations.
He however said “anyone with evidence on these allegations should, as a matter of urgency, forward same to the commission.”
Ani assured me that anyone found culpable will be dealt with in line with the laws of the land.
“The commission has also set up a panel of investigators, comprising both members of the commission and the Nigeria Police Force, to investigate these allegations.”
“Aggrieved officers should avail themselves of the existence of this investigative panel and come forward with substantiated proof that could aid the investigation.”
“The commission insists that those found wanting in the course of investigation will face the full wrath of the law,” he said.
The PSC spokesman, however, warned that the commission would not tolerate frivolous and fictitious media claims.
He said police officers and men should always follow approved lines of communication.
Ani added that the commission had directed the police to unravel the identity of the said Chijioke Okonkwo for appropriate interrogation.
He assured that the new PSC Chairman, Solomon Arase, has been working to harmonise and improve the services of both the commission and the police.
“The Commission cannot afford this kind of distraction,” he said, adding that Arase’s desire to bring sanity, peace, and unity to the police sub-sector is already yielding the desired results.
He assured Nigerians that the new PSC chairman was determined to sanitize the system and had warned staff of the commission to live above board in the discharge of their responsibilities.
“Bribery and corruption of any kind will not be tolerated under his watch,” Ani added.
NAN
