The Police Service Commission (PSC) has promoted six senior police officers for rejecting huge sums of money offered as bribe to compromise them in the course of doing their duties.
The Commission in a statement in Abuja by the Head of Press and Public Relations Unit, Ikechukwu Ani, explained that the promotion was imperative because the officers displayed rare and exemplary courage to resist corruption.
The decision was reached by the Commission after its 19th Plenary Meeting in Abuja.
Those affected by the promotion are: “CSP Sulaiman Muhammad Abdul, CSP. Olusoji Akinbayo, Inspector Sunday Idowu, DSP Mu’awuyya A. Abubakar, Inspector Eheziekia Abiona and Sergeant Ogunbiyi Agbabu.
The statement reads: “The Police Service Commission has promoted six senior police officers who have shown rare and exemplary courage to resist corruption.The Commission approved the promotion of CSP Sulaiman Muhammad Abdul to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police for his outstanding performance in the fight against corruption.
“CSP Abdul currently with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the course of his duty recovered a whopping sum of #42billion for the federal government. He had earlier been commended by the former Inspector General of Police and recommended for consideration by the Chairman of the EFCC.
“The Commission also approved the promotion of CSP. Olusoji Akinbayo to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police and Inspector Sunday Idowu to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police for outstanding performance while serving at the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja.
“Both officers were said to have rejected a bribe of $21 and another $12,900 from one Samuel Wilberforce. The officers, despite this huge inducement defied the temptation and arrested the pipeline vandals.”
The statement added: “Their action has portrayed the Nigeria Police Force in good light as they exhibited professionalism, fearlessness and incorruptibility in the conduct of their assignment.
“DSP Mu’awuyya A. Abubakar of the Kano State Command was also promoted to the rank of Superintendent of Police. DSP Abubakar was in 2014 awarded the best Crime Bursting Police Officer by the African Leadership Awards and Security Watch Africa.
“He had earlier received a commendation letter from Mr. President for exceptional display of courage and gallantry in counter insurgency operation in Kano State.
“The PSC also approved the promotion of Inspector Eheziekia Abiona and Sergeant Ogunbiyi Agbabu to their next ranks. The officers who are attached to the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) were said to have recovered the sum of #5million that fell off a bullion van in November/December 2015.”
The Chairman of the Commission, Mike Okiro, said the Commission is poised to enthrone honesty, responsibility and fear of God in the Nigeria Police Force.
Okiro who noted that the special promotions was meant to spark off a new wave of integrity in the conduct of police officers added that the promotion is another way of motivating the honest and disciplined and a wakeup call to the few disgruntled elements still in service.
He warned that officers who are unable to turn a new leaf and embrace the new disposition of the Commission will be shown the way out of the force in the interest of the larger society.