Police recruitment: Candidates ‘ll be  selected on merit – PSC boss

By Michael Ofulue
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The Chairman of Police Service Commission (PSC), Alhaji Musiliu Smith has assured candidates jostling to be recruited into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as Police Constables across the federation that selection would be based on merit.

Smith, a former Inspector General of Police, gave the assurance during his visit to the Ondo State Police Command to access the ongoing screening exercise conducted for candidates from the state, who  applied for the police job.

The PSC boss, who monitored the screening at the Police Headquarters, along Igbatoro road in Akure by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Undie Adie, said he was in the state to personally assess the recruitment situation and ensure that men and women of unquestionable character were not employed into the force.

He disclosed that the ongoing recruitment exercise would  be unbiased, devoid of ‘who you know mentality’, adding that only qualified persons that met all the laid down requirements set aside by the Commission would be selected after the final screening and examination.

He, therefore,  warned officers saddled with the responsibility to be upright and desist from any act capable of putting them into trouble.

Satisfied with the conduct of the exercise,  Smith departed to Ekiti state to carry out same assignment with his entourage.

Speaking on the chairman’s visit to the state, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Femi  Joseph hinted that all efforts were to ensure that credible persons with undoubted integrity were employed into the force, adding that the exercise has  so far  been transparent and successful as confirmed  by Alhaji Smith during  his visit.

He maintained that selected officers from the PSC and some senior officers from Force Headquarters in Abuja were members of the recruitment team that are currently conducting the screening exercise in the state.

It would be recalled that about 5,000 unemployed  indigenes of the state  applied for the ongoing police recruitment out of which  10,000 persons were expected to be selected across the 36 states, including FCT, and Abuja.