The Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd), has reiterated that the Commission’s core mandate of appointment, promotion, and discipline is fundamentally directed towards building a professional and ethical Nigeria Police Force.
Argungu made this known on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, while addressing Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) at a Strategic Leadership and Change Management Retreat held at the National Institute of Police Studies, Life Camp, Abuja. The retreat was organized by the Police Reform Secretariat in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), CLEEN Foundation, GS-Foundation, the Federal Foreign Office, and the Nigeria Police Force.
Delivering a lecture titled “Ethics and Professionalism: Bedrock of Policing Code of Conduct,” the PSC Chairman stressed that promotions within the police must be based strictly on merit, integrity, and professional competence. He added that the Commission would continue to apply disciplinary measures firmly and fairly while also advocating better welfare and working conditions for officers.
“It is difficult to be ethical when under immense financial pressure,” he noted, emphasizing that ethical officers must be recognised, rewarded, and protected in order to sustain professionalism within the Force.
Argungu underscored the importance of ethics in policing, describing them as foundational to public trust, legitimacy, accountability, and the rule of law. He reminded officers that as public servants with immense authority, law enforcement personnel must uphold strict ethical codes in order to function justly in a democratic society.
Highlighting the unique role of the Nigeria Police Force, Argungu observed that it remains the only security agency available to citizens every day and around the clock. “When government offices close, the Nigeria Police become roving representatives of the government, responding to emergencies and helping people with problems no one else is available to handle,” he stated.
He further outlined standards of conduct expected of every police officer, which include prompt obedience to lawful orders, incorruptibility in the discharge of duties, correctness of general behaviour, and pride in personal appearance, whether in or out of uniform.
The retreat forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen ethical standards and professional capacity within the Nigeria Police Force through reform partnerships between the PSC, NPF leadership, and international development partners.