The Bauchi Commissioner of Police, Auwal Muhammad, disclosed this in an interview with journalists during a scheduled routine visit to monitor the ongoing process at the Police Training School, Yelwa, Bauchi State on Wednesday.
He commended the Chairman of the Police Service Commission and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbotekun, for their efforts towards tackling the challenge of inadequate manpower in the police.
Muhammad warned officers and all those involved in the processes to shun corruption and everything capable of discrediting the exercise adding that the command will support the Federal Government and the PSC to ensure that the whole process is corruption-free and straightforward.
“We are doing our best to see that there is no breach of protocol in terms of processes that are to be adhered to as directed by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, retired IGP Solomon Arase.
“The total number of applicants who have registered in Bauchi State is somewhere around 22,000 but the number that will be picked from the state is now left for the authorities to decide.
“All people have been warned especially those that will partake in the recruitment process that they shun corruption; nobody is allowed to even come around with money. It is going to be perfected to ensure that we get the best for the Nigerian Police.
“As you can see here in Bauchi, the complaint always has been that there is inadequate manpower but now the Federal Government has taken the bull by the horns by trying to improve the strength of the personnel of the Nigerian Police Force.
“My visit, which I will continue to do from time to time is to make sure that all the directives given by the IGP and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission are being adhered to. We already have a good synergy in the process now, there is no rancour and we pray that God Almighty will see us through in the next three weeks so that we will be able to have the best for the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian people,” he said.
According to him, the process would be concluded on January 29th, 2024.
Also speaking, the Director Coordinating Bauchi State in the Police Service Commission, Hajiya Balkisu Mohammed, said that the State Command is giving them the desired support and cooperation.
Represented by an Assistant Chief in the Police Service Commission, Angulu Kadiri, she said: “We started the process as directed by the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr. Solomon Arase, as he mandated us to start this process on Monday when we started the screening based on how invitations were sent to applicants but so far for now, there is no problem.
“The State Command is cooperating, they’re giving us all that we require to make the work smooth.”
Asked about the number of slots Bauchi had been allocated, she said: “We have a general target for each state, and at the end of the day, Bauchi State would be given what is required.”
Similarly, the representative of the Minister of Police Affairs, AbdulRahman Sule-Katagum, said: “Our job here is to observe and monitor the processes and as you know. We came here on Saturday and the Commissioner of Police addressed us and showed us all the processes and the arrangements they’ve made and we were impressed and we’ve now seen it and everything is perfect.”
Asked if there have been any challenges so far, he said: “So far, the only thing we’ve seen which they have nothing much to do about it, is that the internet sometimes goes slow and fast. But every other thing is going on well.”
