A panel has been established by the Police Service Commission (PSC) to look into the alleged $10,000 bribe-for-promotion scheme in the Nigerian Police Force.
Mr. Chijioke Nwankwo, a police officer, claimed that officers paid up to $10,000 to acquire promotions even above their elders with backdates of up to three years.
According to the rumor that made the rounds in the media earlier this week, some disgruntled Nigerian Police Force personnel claimed that the PSC offered preferential promotions to junior officers above senior ones after purportedly taking $10,000 in bribes.
They called on the presidency to probe the corrupt practices in the police force.
Reacting to this, the PSC spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani said that the commission “does not sell promotions in the Nigeria Police Force and will not start now when a deliberate effort is being made to reposition and reinvigorate the Nigeria Police Force, especially with the assumption of duty of Dr. Solomon Arase as chairman.”
He said: “as at the time of this statement, the commission has not formally received any formal petition or complaint on this allegation.
“The said Mr Chijioke Okonkwo who posed and signed off on behalf of other officers forgot that he is a serving Police officer and did not indicate his rank. He forgot the line of communication for officers of the Nigeria Police Force which also guides the Public Service.
“The commission wishes to state as follows; that anyone with evidence on these allegations should, as a matter of urgency, forward the same to the commission as anyone found culpable will be dealt with in line with the laws of the land.
“The commission has also set up a panel of investigation, comprising of both members of the commission and that of 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.”
Ani also stated that “the commission insists that those found wanting in the course of investigation will face the full wrath of the law.
“However, the commission warns that it will not tolerate any frivolous and fictitious media claims as officers and men of the Police should be abreast and conversant with approved lines of communication.
“The commission directs the Police to fish out the true identity of the said Mr Chijioke Okonkwo for interrogation.”