PSC Decries Poor Funding, Interference in Police Recruitment and Discipline

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has raised concerns over inadequate funding and repeated attempts by vested interests to interfere with its constitutional responsibilities of recruitment, promotion, and discipline within the Nigeria Police Force.

In a statement issued on Monday by its spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, the PSC Chairman, retired Deputy Inspector General of Police Hashimu Argungu, highlighted these challenges during a visit by a presidential delegation led by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman.

Argungu lamented that beyond chronic underfunding, external interference had further undermined the commission’s efficiency.

“The commission is grossly underfunded and incapable of effectively and efficiently executing its constitutional mandate of police recruitment, promotion, and discipline. This anomaly is worsened by the struggle of different interests to hijack our mandate and dilute our effectiveness,” he said.

The PSC chairman warned that if such interference continues unchecked, it could compromise efforts to deliver a police force capable of meeting 21st-century security challenges.

Argungu also criticized the envelope budgeting system, which places ceilings on funding. He called for the adoption of an independent budgeting process, as provided in Section 15(1) of the PSC Act, 2001, which empowers the commission to submit its expenditure estimates directly to the President.