NPF rejects PSC’s list of police constable candidates over alleged corruption

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says the ongoing police constable recruitment was marred by alleged corruption and irregularities.

In a statement released on Saturday, Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said the NPF has dissociated itself from the recent list of successful candidates published by the Police Service Commission (PSC).

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.

BACKGROUND

In October 2023, the PSC in conjunction with the NPF invited applications for the constabulary role.

The commission also invited applications for enlistment as artisans in specialised fields

In February 2024, 171,956 applicants were shortlisted for computer-based tests as part of the recruitment process into the force.

On June 4, the PSC released the list of successful applicants for constable and specialist cadre roles in the NPF.

The commission said the successful applicants were from the 774 LGAs in the country.

Solomon Arase, the former PSC chairman, had said the selection process was rigorous in a bid to enhance the capacity and effectiveness of the NPF.

Arase was sacked as PSC boss on June 10 and replaced by Hashimu Argungu, a retired police officer.