Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation sues PSC over attempt to demote 4,000 police officers
A Non-Government Organisation (NGO) under the aegis of Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation (GAFAMORG) has filed a suit before a Federal High Court, Lagos, seeking to stop the proposed demotion of about 4,000 police officers who were promoted between 2016 and 2018.
The defendants in the suit marked FHC/L/2011/2018, are the Police Service Commission (PSC) and Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
In the suit, the group is seeking a declaration that the promotion of 45 officers attached to IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and other 3791 officers promoted between 2016 and 2018, under the chairmanship of IGP Mike Okiro (rtd) have not been indicted for any offence, misconduct or misdemeanor and that the present board of PSC has no right to pencil them for demotion or relegation as being currently attempted.
Other declarations the plaintiff is seeking from the court include an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from demoting more than 45 officers attached to IGP-IRT and 3791 police officers duly promoted by the PSC under the leadership of Dr. Mike Okiro , as their promotion followed the laid down procedure and rules associated with such special promotion.
The plaintiff also want the court to make an order perpetually restraining the PSC as currently constituted from issuing query or discipline against any of the 45 officers attached IGP-IRT and other 3791 gallant officers promoted between 2016 and 2018, in relation to the promotion, the subject matter of the suit.
It also want the court to make an order of perpetual injunction restraining PSC from ordering or compelling IGP to demote the said promoted officers between 2016 and 2018, in relation to their promotion and the subject matter of the suit.
The plaintiff in its affidavit deposed to by a legal practitioner, Debo Adeleke, stated that the suit was instituted in public interest and in defence of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). And that what promoted the suit was recent press conference by the PSC’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, on Tuesday, October 2, 2018, wherein he confirmed to journalists that PSC has set up a panel headed by a retired Justice of Supreme Court, Justice Clara B. Ogunbiyi, to review promotions made between 2016 and 2018.
The deponent stated that the said planned demotion of all officers promoted between 2016 and 2018, was earlier confirmed by Mr. Olayinka Balogun, a retired Commissioner of Police and Personal Assistant to the Chairman of PSC, Alhaji Musiliu Smith IGP (rtd), on September 19, 2018, as the officer of Commissioner of Police, Oshogbo, Osun State.
Adeleke also stated that consequent upon the remarks of CP Balogun and Ikechukwu Ani, he was mandated by the plaintiff to write a letter dated October 4, 2018, to the Chairman of PSC to, among other things, plead for the change of the planned action and to serve as a pre-action notice on PSC. The letter he said had not been responded by the first defendant.
He further stated that all the officers promoted between 2016 and 2018, were promoted based on gallant performance and they have since been decorated and have been wearing the new ranks which further motivated them to be more productive, adding that the planned demotion of the said officers if carried out would adversely affect their psychic, morale and performance, consequently, security of the entire Nigeria would be greatly affected.
Meanwhile, the suit is yet to be assigned to any judge and no date has been fix for hearing.
