by George Ozalla
The Police Service Commission has rejected reports alleging prolonged delays in the promotion of police inspectors who participated in the 2025 Departmental Selection Board exercise, describing the claims as misleading and unsupported by facts.
According a press statement signed by Torty Njoku Kalu, Head of Protocol and Public Affairs of the Commission, the PSC said it was compelled to respond to a report published on January 21, 2026, which suggested that inspectors who passed the 2025 selection exercise were being ignored months after completing all required procedures. The Commission stated that the report relied on anonymous accounts and failed to reflect the actual promotion process within the Nigeria Police Force.
The PSC reaffirmed that promotions within the Force are guided by clear statutory procedures anchored on transparency, fairness and merit, stressing that officers who took part in the 2025 Departmental Selection Board were formally briefed through official channels on the status of their evaluations. It explained that contrary to claims of silence from the Commission or the Force Headquarters, relevant communications had been issued and records of such engagements were available, adding that officers with concerns were free to seek clarification through their commands or directly from the Commission.
Addressing comparisons drawn between inspector-level promotions and the quicker elevation of senior officers, the PSC noted that such assertions ignored the different procedural requirements involved. It explained that promotions at the inspector cadre involve larger numbers of candidates and additional verification processes, including background checks and performance assessments across multiple commands, which naturally require more time. The Commission stated that the 2025 exercise, conducted in December, was successfully concluded and that processing was ongoing in line with administrative and fiscal timelines, with efforts already intensified to conclude the process shortly.
The Commission also dismissed suggestions that the situation had triggered widespread demoralization or threats of early retirement among junior officers, describing such claims as speculative. It noted that no formal complaints had been lodged through established institutional grievance channels, emphasizing that officers were encouraged to use official mechanisms rather than resorting to media narratives driven by anonymity.
The PSC said it remained committed to the welfare and career progression of police personnel under the leadership of its Chairman, retired DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu, working in collaboration with the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun. It added that thousands of officers had been promoted in recent years through similar processes and that due diligence was essential to ensure equity and institutional integrity.
The Commission urged media organisations to verify information with appropriate authorities before publishing reports capable of undermining confidence in public institutions, assuring officers and the public of its continued professionalism in carrying out its mandate.
The Police Service Commission is a constitutional body responsible for appointments, promotions and discipline within the Nigeria Police Force, working alongside the Force Headquarters to manage personnel matters in line with the law.
