A counter reaction is coming from the Police Service Commission (PSC) as it denies threatening to dismiss police officers who fail to return to work following the #EndSARS protests.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, had claimed that no fewer than 28 policemen lost their lives to hoodlums who infiltrated the peaceful #EndSARS protest.
He also claimed that several police stations and formations were also burnt and vandalised during the crisis.
It was gathered that some policemen have reportedly refused to return to work due to low morale.
In a report on Saturday, Punch quoted the spokesman of PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, as saying the attack on them by hoodlums should not be an excuse for them to stay away from work.
“The Nigeria Police Force is part of the public service and the public service is guided by the Public Service Rules. If you don’t come to work without permission, the punishment is dismissal if it is proven,†he reportedly said.
But in a statement later on Saturday morning, Ani said the PSC did not at any time threaten to dismissed officers who failed to resume work.
He said: “The attention of the Police Service Commission had been drawn to a publication in the Punch newspaper of Saturday, October 31 2020 reporting that the Police Service Commission will dismiss Police officers who fail to return to work.
“The Police Service Commission wishes to state that it did not any time say Policemen who refused to get back to work will be dismissed.
“The Commission had condemned the killing of Police officers on legitimate duties and had warned that any attempt to make the country lawless will be an illwind that will blow nobody any good.
“The Commission can only plead with the officers to in the spirit of nationalism return to work while Government works out enough protective programmes for them
“The Commission will continue to do it’s best to ensure the police are motivated to do its job.
“The Commission being the employers of the Police is pained that Policemen were killed and stations set ablaze throughout the country.
“It will be very insensitive at this point for anyone to say that the Commission will dismiss any policeman who didn’t return to work.
“The Commission is even at present mourning the deaths of its gallant officers who were killed in the crisis.â€
