August 14, 2025 – The Police Service Commission on Thursday, August 14, 2025, met with representatives of the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory to finalize plans for a more transparent and credible 2025 police recruitment exercise. The recruitment will cover Cadet Assistant Superintendents of Police and Constables.
The Stakeholders Consultative Meeting, themed “Collaborative approach for a transparent and equitable Police Recruitment Process,” was held at the Parry Osayande Auditorium of the Commission in Abuja.
Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd, mni), told participants that the Commission will work closely with state governments to ensure fairness and equity in the recruitment process. He urged states to safeguard their quota and prevent any hijack of the exercise.
According to him, “We want to stop corruption in the system and open up the exercise to promote healthy competition and equitable spread.” He emphasized that the Commission has decided to eliminate connivance and resist trading or purchase of slots, stressing that merit will not be replaced with special considerations.
Argungu called for constructive partnerships with state governments to curb corruption during the recruitment, noting that transparency will be the key driver of the process.
Justice Paul Adamu Galumje (rtd), Honourable Commissioner representing the Judiciary, reminded stakeholders that the Commission was set up to promote equity and fairness in police recruitment and operations.
He stated, “We will rely on you to confirm that those to be recruited are from your states,” assuring that no one will be allowed to hijack the process.
DIG Taiwo Lakanu (rtd, fdc, LLM), Honourable Commissioner representing the Police, said the new management is committed to creating a recruitment system that will produce the best Nigerian youths for the Nigeria Police of the future.
He praised the President for approving the recruitment, describing it as “a rare opportunity that will not be taken for granted.”
Secretary to the Commission, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani, spoke about plans to set up state offices to effectively carry out the Commission’s constitutional mandate and appealed to state governments for support in achieving this goal.
The meeting ended with an agreement on the need for regular stakeholders’ consultative sessions.
Representatives of the state governments pledged their full cooperation and support for the exercise, reaffirming their commitment to a fair and transparent process that would ensure qualified candidates are selected from each state.
The 2025 police recruitment process is expected to be a landmark in Nigeria’s law enforcement system, focusing on integrity, accountability, and equitable representation across the federation.