Segun Atanda/
Moves to demote police officers, considered undeserving of their new status, have been checkmated at a Federal High Court, in Abuja.
The Court gave an Injunction restraining the Police Service Commission (PSC) from demoting some elevated officers who had sacrificed a lot and saved the country from several embarrassing crime situations and were decorated with multiple IGP and Presidential medals for Courage, during the tenures of different IGPs spanning many years of outstanding performances.
According to Court papers, officers who challenged the planned demotion are Igbodo David, Abba Kyari, Abdulraman Mohammed, Abraham Godwin, Ahmed Monday, and Akadu Godwin.
Their application was granted as prayed, and the Court granted them leave to sue for themselves and on behalf of all officers promoted between 2016 and 2018.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, recently cautioned the PSC and warned of a collision with Police authorities if the commission goes ahead with the planned demotion.
The PSC Chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, recently dropped a hint in a statement that, henceforth, police officers would no longer be promoted to the next rank without the requisite training programmes and examinations.
“Henceforth, the result of the performance of officers from appropriate training courses must be attached to the recommendation to the commission for promotion,” says Smith.
Some of the affected officers are members of DCP Abba Kyari’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
The team has been celebrated for arresting the notorious kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike aka Evans, the killing of a bloody gang leader, Vampire, and the capture of some Boko-Haram terrorist, who abducted the Chibok school girls in Borno State.
