The Police Service Commission (PSC) has officially distanced itself from a recent advertisement promoting admissions into the 12th Regular Course of the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State.
According to the Commission, the advert, which announced an application window from July 28 to September 8, 2025, was released without proper approval and violated the constitutional mandate guiding police recruitment in Nigeria.
In a detailed statement issued on Thursday, 31st July 2025, the Commission described the publication as a “flagrant violation of the required procedure” and an “undisguised attempt to undermine the Commission.”
It emphasized that the PSC holds the sole authority to recruit into the Nigeria Police Force, a mandate clearly affirmed by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in their respective rulings.
Referencing the Court of Appeal judgment delivered on September 30, 2020, in Police Service Commission v. Inspector-General of Police & 3 others (CA/A/84/2020 pg 80), and the Supreme Court ruling in NPF v. Police Service Commission (SC/CV/773/2020), the Commission reaffirmed its role as the constitutionally recognized body responsible for police recruitment.
“As a law-abiding institution of government, the Police Service Commission will continue to resist and condemn any action by any person, body or authority that is in contravention of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement said.
The Commission also warned that such publications undermine the rule of law and violate citizens’ rights as interpreted by Nigeria’s highest court. It further stressed that no institution, including the Police Service Commission or the Nigeria Police Force, is above the law.
The statement clarified that recruitment and employment processes within the police sector involve multiple key stakeholders, not just the PSC. This collaboration helps prevent negative practices such as cronyism, nepotism, corruption, and other forms of bias in the system.
“The Commission hereby notifies the general public to disregard the said advertisement as it is not aware and necessary stakeholders’ input was not sought or received,” it said.
According to the PSC, these key stakeholders include the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Federal Character Commission, and the Nigeria Police Force, all of whom were reportedly not consulted before the release of the controversial advertisement by the Police Academy.
The Commission expressed serious concerns over what it described as a chaotic and confusing admission process recently introduced by the management of the Police Academy.
It noted that the application procedure seemed deliberately structured to encourage corrupt practices. One of the points of contention is the demand for an application fee of N6,000, despite the fact that such exercises are meant to be free of charge.
The PSC also criticized the Academy’s centralization of the screening process, which requires all applicants to travel to the Kano campus.
According to the Commission, this causes unnecessary stress and economic strain on applicants and their families, increases the risk associated with long-distance travel, and results in accommodation challenges. More troubling, it noted, are consistent complaints from parents about “coordinated practices of corrupt tendencies in the chaotic situation.”
The current leadership of the Police Service Commission stated that it is working in partnership with relevant stakeholders to develop recruitment policies based on global best practices. These include transparency, fairness, equity, and accountability, all aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
The Commission’s statement clearly disclaims any association with the published advert and called it “unlawful” and “unconstitutional.” It further declared the announcement “null and void” and warned the public not to be misled.
“This statement serves as a disclaimer that any unlawful or unconstitutional action occasioned by the advertisement is meant to mislead the public and does not reflect a legitimate exercise of constitutional responsibility. Hence, the Police Service Commission would not be held responsible,” it concluded.
In other news, the 2025 Nigeria Police Force recruitment has been confirmed by the PSC, and has warned against racketeering and fraud.
