Sacking galore as police dismiss 7 powerful senior officers, reduce 10 others in ranks

No less than 7 senior police officers have been dismissed by the police service commission (PSC) over gross misconduct.

This happened simultaneously when 10 other senior officers were reduced in ranks, The Nation reported.

The commission took the steps at its ongoing 15th plenary meeting that is expected to come to an end tomorrow.

The affected officers included a chief superintendent of police (CSP), one superintendent of police (SP) and five assistant superintendents of police (ASPs).

However, the commission did not disclose the names of the affected officers. The PSC’s head of press and public relations, Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement on Tuesday, October 4, revealed that an SP was also retired in the interest of the public.

According to the statement, the plenary was presided over by Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi (retd) and considered all the 47 pending disciplinary matters (PDMs) before the commission.

The PSC reduced the ranks of one CSP to an SP, three SPs to DSPs, and two DSPs to ASPs. The commission further reduced the ranks of four ASPs to Inspectors.

The statement reads in part: “Ten senior police officers, including an Assistant Commissioner (ACP), a Chief Superintendent (CSP), a Superintendent (SP) and two Deputy Superintendents (DSPs), were given the punishment of severe reprimand. Five Assistant Superintendents (ASPs) were also awarded the punishment of severe reprimand.

“Thirteen officers received the punishment of reprimand; two are to receive letters of warning while four officers were exonerated."