Musiliu Smith, the chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), has resigned from his office.
The former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Smith, has been embroiled in a power struggle with the current IGP, Usman Alkali Baba over the hiring of constables and corruption charges.
It was previously reported that Naja’atu Muhammad, a commissioner at the commission, petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Agency (EFCC), alleging a multi-million naira contract scam, resource mismanagement, and a lack of due process in the commission’s management.
Mrs. Muhammad, who is Northwest’s representative at the commission, claimed in a petition dated June 29, 2022, that the controversial chairman had arbitrarily given fictitious contracts without obeying the law.
Some of the claims made in the petition include the awarding of N34,749,375 for the commission’s police e-recruitment portal’s design and development.
Another contract payment of N36,228,453.90 has been made to Wedewood Integrated Investment Limited as the last installment of the less than 5% retention fee for the division of office space, installation of wall panels, and creation of a custom cabinet at the PSC headquarters building. The total contract amount is N447,473,613.00.
Additionally, Mrs. Mohammed claimed in the petition that Vita Construction received approximately N200 million in illegal transfers from the Commission’s account No. 2994350018 between April 9 and April 14, 2021, in increments of N10 million.
A commissioner at the PSC stated that Clara Ogunbiyi, a retired justice of the Supreme Court, had been requested to take over for Mr. Smith in an acting capacity, despite the commission having yet to make an official announcement.
Ikechukwu Ani, a spokesman for the commission, also acknowledged the resignation but stated that it was due to health issues.
