The Police Service Commission (PSC) has revealed that Ebonyi State recorded the lowest number of applications—1,667—for the ongoing recruitment of 50,000 police constables.

It was followed by Anambra with 1,739 applications, Bayelsa 2,430, and Lagos 2,448. At the other end, Adamawa led with 38,989 applications, Kaduna had 30,397, while Borno recorded 24,009.

Briefing reporters at the PSC headquarters in Abuja, the Chairman of the PSC Standing Committee on Police Matters, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Taiwo Lakanu, stated that the commission received a total of 616,873 applications before the recruitment portal closed on February 8, 2026, following an eight-week period that began on December 15, 2025.

According to Lakanu, “Let me begin by expressing our profound gratitude to His Excellency, the President and Commander in Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his visionary directive approving the recruitment of fifty thousand (50,000) additional personnel into the Nigeria Police Force.

“This bold decision clearly reflects the commitment of this administration to strengthening internal security and addressing the nation’s security challenges. This injection of manpower will significantly enhance the operational capacity of the Force and reinforce the nation’s security architecture.

“I also wish to commend the Police Force. The synergy and cordial working relationship between the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission throughout this recruitment process has been exemplary. This spirit of inter-agency cooperation is critical to nation-building, and we remain committed to sustaining it. May I also extend our appreciation to other stakeholders, notably, teams from Ministry of Police Affairs and Federal Character Agency. Their contributions have been exemplary.

“I am pleased to present to you a summary of applications received:

Total applications received: 616,873

General Duty applicants: 348,974

Specialist applicants: 85,630

Total qualified for further screening: 434,604

Unqualified applicants: 121,596

Invalid submissions: 60,673

In terms of gender distribution:

Male applicants: 442,592

Female applicants: 114,640

These figures demonstrate the continued confidence of Nigerian youths in the Nigeria Police Force as a career of honour and service.

“However, I must speak candidly on the issue of state participation. At the early stages of this exercise, we observed wide disparities in application numbers across the Federation. While some states recorded very high participation, others lagged significantly behind.

“In response to this imbalance, the Commission, after extensive consultation with the Nigeria Police Force, and other stakeholders approved a two-week extension of the application deadline. This decision enabled states with low turnout to intensify sensitization and mobilization efforts. I am pleased to report that this intervention yielded positive results.

“The final state-by-state analysis shows:

States with the highest applications:

Adamawa State – 38,989

Benue State – 34,511

Kaduna State – 30,397

Borno State – 24,009

States with the lowest applications:

Ebonyi State – 1,667

Anambra State – 1,739

Bayelsa State – 2,430

Lagos State – 2,448

While we acknowledge that some states recorded relatively low numbers, the overall national spread reflects the principle of Federal Character, which the Police Service Commission holds sacrosanct”.

He said with the application phase now concluded: “we are proceeding to the next critical stage: physical screening and verification of credentials. This shall commence on Monday, March 9th, 2026”.

Lakanu said the exercise will take place in all the thirty-six states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

“Applicants will be informed of commencement dates through official and verified channels only. Officials of the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force will be deployed nationwide to ensure a smooth, orderly, and credible process.

“Candidates who successfully pass the physical credentials screening will proceed to:

Computer-Based Examinations

Medical Examinations

Comprehensive Drug Integrity Tests conducted in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)

“Let me state this without ambiguity: drug users and persons of questionable character will not find their way into the Nigeria Police Force. Our partnership with the NDLEA ensures that only candidates of sound health, good character, and proven integrity will be admitted”, he added.

Successful candidates, he said will be posted to designated Police Colleges for training and subsequently deployed to commands and formations for active police service. (The Nation)