The Police Service Commission (PSC) has said that it would not compel any police officer to return to duty.
The commission stated this on Sunday in a statement by its head of media and public affairs, Ikechukwu Ani
The statement was in reaction to a newspaper publication which stated that the commission had threatened to dismiss officers who failed to return to work.
He said the report was false, noting that it would be most insensitive for the commission to dismiss any police officer who doesn’t return to work.
The statement read: “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 Police men 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 ill-wind that will blow no body 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 its best to ensure the police are motivated to do its job.
The Commission being the employers of the Police is pained that Police men 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 police man who didn’t return to work.
“The Commission is even at present mourning the deaths of it’s gallant officers who were killed in the crisis.”
The #EndSARS protests in various parts of the country turned violent, after the army shot at peaceful protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos.
About 22 police officers were killed by hoodlums, while dozens of stations were also set ablaze.
