The Police Service Commission has urged Nigerians to raise the alarm whenever they noticed people of questionable character apply to join the Nigeria Police Force.
The Commission said the role of the Nigeria Police was crucial and could only be achieved if responsible and upright young ones are encouraged to join the Force.
Speaking during an engagement forum on Saturday, the South-South Commissioner of PSC, Austin Braimoh, specifically said there had been cases of robbers finding their way into police recruitment camps, stressing that Nigerians must ask the commission to recruit the best hands for the job.
He said, “The PSC during these recruitment has some observations which are rather disheartening, and we hope there will be a reversal going forward. Security is key to the development and enjoyment of peace.
“Police and policing are a noble act and deserves the best of the society to join and change the narrative on the issue of internal security of our nation.
The purpose of providing security and safety is defeated if the police is peopled with persons who are criminally minded owing to the poor caliber of those applying for recruitment.
“We must raise alarm if we notice not so good persons applying to join the police. There have been cases of robbers finding their way into recruitment camps. We must all come together as a community to ensure only the best apply for and are recruited into the Nigeria Police.”
Braimoh also lamented that 90 per cent of those who have applied for the job had consistently failed, adding that the commission is worried.
He, however, blamed it on the hatred many people had for the police, noting that this had affected the kind of persons applying for the job.
Braimoh said, “An additional concern is the fact that most of the applicants seem academically challenged as more than 90% have consistently failed to score up to 30% in the examinations. This is a sad reflection of the calibre of officers that will be patrolling our communities in the event that these persons actually end up enlisted in the police.
“Perhaps owing to disenchantment with the police, the inability of citizens to appreciate the value of police and policing has further impacted the quality of persons applying to work in the force. These challenges must be addressed. This is a herculean task which can only be achieved with the active support of members of the community like you.”
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