The Police Service Commission has approved the dismissal of 18 senior officers and the demotion of 19 others over misconduct and other disciplinary issues.

The Head of Press and Public Relations of PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja. Ani said the commission, at its first Plenary Meeting in Abuja, took the decision on 109 Pending Disciplinary Matters and 23 Appeals and petition cases with 13 court judgments seeking compliance.

He said the commission had earlier considered and approved recommendations on several promotion matters conveyed to it by the Inspector-General of Police for implementation. Ani said the plenary meeting was presided over by the Chairman of PSC, Hashimu Argungu.

“After rigorous consideration of the pending disciplinary matters before the commission, it approved the dismissal of 19 senior Police Officers.

“The senior officers consist of 10 Assistant Superintendents, six Deputy Superintendents, two Chief Superintendents and one Superintendent.

“The commission also approved the reduction in ranks of 19 other senior police officers, consisting of one Assistant Commissioner of Police, one Chief Superintendent, two Superintendents, two Deputy Superintendents and 13 Assistant Superintendents,” he said.

Ani said the PSC punished two Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, with one being reprimanded for refusal to carry out lawful instructions while the other received a letter of warning for negligence. The PSC spokesman said several other officers found culpable received different punishments including, severe reprimand, and letters of warning.

According to him, most of the officers dismissed will also be prosecuted by the legal unit of the Nigeria Police Force. He said three pending disciplinary matters were stepped down with a request for further information from the Inspector General of Police after considering 23 appeals and petitions and nine legal matters/court judgments.

Ani said the commission would henceforth be considering police disciplinary matters with dispatch. He said the idea was to free police officers who were not found wanting to continue with their career progression and those found culpable to serve their punishments.

The PSC spokesman said the PSC boss had warned that the commission would not spare police officers who indulged in civil matters like land disputes, marital issues and rent-related disputes. Argungu said the courts should be allowed to do their work while the Police should pay more attention to criminal matters and threats to life.