By George Ozalla
The Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu (rtd), has urged senior police officers to take responsibility for the direction of the Nigeria Police Force, stressing that leadership and accountability will determine whether ongoing reform efforts succeed or stall.
Argungu spoke at a leadership engagement with top-ranking officers, where he challenged those in command to move beyond routine administration and take firm decisions that reflect discipline, professionalism and public responsibility. He said the burden of reform rests largely on those entrusted with authority within the system.
He warned that without accountability, efforts to reposition the force would lose meaning, noting that the conduct of officers, especially those in leadership roles, remains central to rebuilding public confidence. He maintained that Nigerians expect a police force that respects the law and acts within defined boundaries, adding that anything short of that would continue to erode trust.
The PSC chairman also pointed to the need for better training and the adoption of modern tools to improve policing, saying the force must keep pace with changing security realities. He noted that stronger engagement with global policing institutions would help raise standards and expose officers to tested practices.
Argungu reminded the officers that leadership is not a privilege but a duty that demands fairness, restraint and a sense of responsibility to the public. He said the current reform process offers an opportunity to correct longstanding gaps and reset the culture within the force.
The Police Service Commission oversees the recruitment, promotion and discipline of officers in the Nigeria Police Force, and has continued to play a central role in ongoing efforts aimed at strengthening professionalism and restoring public confidence in policing across the country.
