The Nigeria Police Force has rejected the the list of successful applicants for constable and specialist cadre roles released by the Police Service Commission (PSC) over alleged corruption and irregularities
In a press statement on Saturday, Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stated that scrutiny of the published list revealed several anomalies.
The force spokesperson said the NPF had been “inundated with a series of complaints and allegations of corruption raised by unsuspecting candidates and stakeholders on the irregularities that marred the exercise most especially the disappearance of the names of screened candidates who were successful to the last stage”.
Adejobi said the PSC portal was subsequently scrutinised and it was discovered that “several names of persons purported to be names of successful candidates are those who did not even apply and therefore did not take part in the recruitment exercise”.
He said the published list also contains several names of candidates who “failed either the computer-based test (CBT) or the physical screening exercise or both”.
Adejobi said some of those disqualified over medical issues “also made the list of successful candidates as published by the PSC”.
“Most worrisome is the allegation of financial dealings and corrupt practices leading to the outcome where unqualified and untrainable individuals have been shortlisted,” the statement said.
“The Inspector General of Police had on 10th June 2024 written a letter of objection to the list addressed to the Chairman of the Commission, citing the discoveries listed above. The reaction of the IGP was without prejudice to the power of the Commission to recruit for the police as ruled by the Supreme court but this power does not include the power to recruit unqualified and untrained individuals for the police.
“Noting that it is the police that bears the brunt of recruitment of unqualified individuals and not the PSC. The same people who recruited anyhow for the police today will turn round to accuse the police tomorrow of inefficiency when their recruits start messing up.
“The police therefore has since dissociated itself from the published list and called for a review that will be transparent and credible.”
Adejobi said the NPF “takes exception” to the development and called for a “total review of the process with a view to recruiting qualified, competent, trainable and productive hands” into the NPF.
In October 2023, the Police Service Commission (PSC), in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), called for applications for the role of constable.
Simultaneously, applications were invited for enlistment as artisans specializing in various fields.
In February 2024, 171,956 applicants underwent computer-based tests as part of the recruitment process for the force.
On June 4, the PSC announced the successful candidates for constable and specialist cadre positions within the NPF.
According to the commission, the selected applicants hailed from all 774 local government areas across the country.
Former PSC Chairman ,Solomon Arase emphasized that the selection process was rigorous to bolster the capacity and effectiveness of the NPF.
However, six days after the list became public, he was sacked by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who announced Hashimu Argungu, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, as his replacement.
