IGP, PSC spat: Unagha urges decentralization of recruitments into police, military, Customs, others

...Says allowing state govts. to conduct exercises will ensure transparency, credibility

By George Owoicho

A former Presidential Aspirant under the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Mumakai Unagha has called for the decentralisation of recruitments into Nigerian Police, the military and other paramilitary agencies in order to curb corruption and enlistments of bad eggs into the forces.

Alhaji Unagha made the call while speaking with journalists on the backdrop of allegations of corruption that characterized the recent recruitment exercise into the Nigerian Police Force.

He insisted that recruitment exercises into the Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army, Customs, Immigration, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence, and other parastatals shout be conducted at the state level to ensure comprehensive scrutiny to stamp out applicants with questionable character.

Speaking further, Alhaji Unagha noted that the only way for credible and transparent recruitment in all the forces, state governments should be allowed to carry out their recruitment exercises.

According to him, it will end sacrificing merit for indolence and save the image of the force already battered.

He noted that the police force as it is, has no good image before the general public, adding that in the name of equity and Federal Character, criminals are everywhere in the police establishment.

Unagha stressed further that some states are short changed because those in the affairs of recruitment brings their relatives that are not qualified as they collects money before recruitment which is the case of the Nigerian police now.

The corruption in the Police force today, is unimaginable and is only God that can deliver us.

He therefore, called on the Inspector General of Police to safe the Force, nothing that, “Nigerians can also help by monitoring their activities independently and report back to him.”