A statement by the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase, confirmed this on Sunday.
Arase, a former Inspector General of Police, said over 400,000 Nigerians had applied for the police constable job after six weeks of receiving applications.
According to the statement on the commission’s website, the recruitment exercise starts on Monday, January 8, throughout the federation, with physical and credentials screening of successful applicants.
The statement quoted Arase as admonishing staff of the commission at a pre-deployment briefing over the weekend that “this is not merely a recruitment exercise; rather, it is a saga – an epic tale where your actions will reverberate through time, each decision, each interaction becomes a paragraph in this narrative, shaping the perception of our Commission and the legacy we leave behind.”
Arase charged the staff to uphold the torch of professionalism and integrity and embrace this responsibility with the knowledge that their actions will resonate beyond the confines of the present.
“I admonish you to anticipate unprecedented challenges during this exercise. With over 400,000 applicants passing through your stations, each presenting an argument to join the Nigeria Police Force, the pressure will be immense.
“Remember, you are the guardians of a process that not only holds inherent significance but also paves the way for the forthcoming 30,000-man recruitment approved by the current administration.”
Arase announced that to enhance the efficiency and transparency of the recruitment exercise, the Commission is establishing a Situation Room at the PSC Corporate Headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.
This recruitment exercise, he noted, assumed paramount significance as the first conducted by the Commission since the landmark Supreme Court Judgment of 20th July 2023 that reaffirmed the primacy and exclusivity of the Commission in recruiting for the Nigeria Police Force.
He reminded the Commission’s staff that the nation’s watchful eyes would scrutinise their move.
“Therefore, I implore each of you to exhibit your best behaviour, upholding the highest standards of discipline, integrity and honesty” he charged the staff.
He warned that any staff found soliciting or collecting money from applicants or their families would be subjected to “austere disciplinary measures including possible termination of employment.”
The PSC Chairman said the staff should adhere strictly to the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct throughout the entire duration of the exercise.
Earlier, The PUNCH quoted the spokesperson for the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, as revealing that at the close of the recruitment portal in December, 416,270 youths were found to have satisfied the initial requirements for the next stage of the exercise, adding that the successful applicants are made up of 315,065 for General Duty and 101,205 for specialist cadre.
“Meanwhile, after the closure of the recruitment portal, Kaduna State, with 31,117 successful applicants, tops the list, followed by Adamawa with 29,848; Benue, 25,346; Borno with 24,854; Katsina with 24,239 and Bauchi with 22,958. Other states with highly successful applicants are Kano, 21,006; Niger, 17,959; Gombe17,493; Yobe, 17,207; Nasarawa, 16,284; Jigawa, 16,007; Taraba, 15,622; Plateau, 15,389 and Kebbi, 12,917.
“Anambra State, with 1,141, has the least successful applicants nationwide, followed by Ebonyi, 1,537; Lagos, 1,775; and Abia, 2,110. The Board demands that candidates must conduct themselves in a manner required of Nigerian youths desirous of a career in the Nigeria Police Force, an Institution guided by strict laws and regulations and which holds discipline as a bedrock for its existence,” Ani had said.
