The Police Service Commission (PSC) has announced that 121,596 applicants were screened out in the ongoing recruitment of constables into the Nigeria Police Force.
Speaking on Wednesday in Abuja, the Chairman of the PSC Standing Committee on Police Matters, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, said the screening process was undertaken to ensure that only qualified candidates advance to the next stage. He added that the commission is now preparing for the subsequent phase of the recruitment exercise.
Lakanu told journalists at a news conference that 434,604 applicants were found eligible to proceed after the screening, while 60,674 applications were declared invalid. He said the figures demonstrate the strong interest among Nigerian youths in joining the police, noting that the recruitment exercise is aimed at strengthening the workforce of the Nigeria Police Force and ensuring transparency throughout the process.
Providing a breakdown of the applications, Lakanu said 348,974 candidates applied for General Duty positions, while 85,630 sought Specialist roles. Of the total applicants, 442,592 were male and 114,640 were female.
He said the high volume of applications reflects the continued confidence of young Nigerians in policing as a career of honour and service.
“However, I must speak candidly on the issue of state participation,” Lakanu said, noting that at the early stage of the exercise there were marked disparities in the number of applicants from different states.
While some states recorded very high participation, others posted comparatively low figures, he explained. Following consultations with the Nigeria Police Force and other stakeholders, the commission approved a two-week extension of the application deadline to address the imbalance.
“This decision enabled states with low turnout to intensify sensitisation and mobilisation efforts, and I am pleased to report that this intervention yielded positive results,” he said.
Lakanu further disclosed that a final state-by-state review showed that Adamawa recorded the highest number of applications with 38,989, followed by Benue with 34,511, Kaduna with 30,397, and Borno with 24,009.
He said the states with the lowest number of applications were Ebonyi with 1,667, Anambra with 1,739, Bayelsa with 2,430, and Lagos State with 2,448 applicants.
“While we acknowledge that some states recorded relatively low numbers, the overall national spread reflects the principle of Federal Character, which the PSC holds sacrosanct,” Lakanu added.
With the application phase concluded, the commission will now proceed to the next stage of the exercise, which includes the physical screening of candidates and verification of their credentials.
