The Police Service Commission disclosed on Wednesday that modalities for the recruitment of another batch of 10,000 Police officers for year 2021 in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive will commence in December this year.
Chairman of the Commission, IGP Musiliu Smith (rtd) who made this known at a briefing in Abuja, noted that the hitch-free recruitment process of the 2020 exercise which was earlier suspended is based on the harmonious working synergy between the Nigerian Police High Command led by IGP Usman Alkali Baba and the PSC.
Recalling that Mr. President in 2018 approved the recruitment of 10,000 Nigerians annually into the Constable Cadre of the Nigerian Police Force for a period of six years, Smith said, “The is to inject needed additional personnel and to bridge the manpower gap in the force especially with the resurgence of banditry, terrorism and kidnapping in different parts of the country and regular loss of personnel through dismissal, retirement, natural death, accident and others.
He said, “The 2020 recruitment exercise which was suspended midway was the third edition in the fulfillment of yje presidential directive after a successful 2018 and 2019 exercise”
He added that “the ongoing completion of the suspended 2020 edition was a joint decision of the Commission and the Nigerian Police Force and it was meant to further fast track the injection of required personnel into the force.
“With the completion of the aptitude tests across the country recently, successful candidates are currently undergoing medical examinations in the 17 Zonal Police headquarters in the country after which fit and proper 10,000 candidates will be recruited by the commission and sent to Police Colleges/training schools for training.
Reiterating that the Commission is aware of the manpower gaps in the Nigerian Police Force especially with rapid wastages of officers and men due to reasons highlighted earlier, Smith commended Mr. President for his gracious approval for the recruitment of 10,000 policemen continuously for six years.
“The Commission will have no choice but to reciprocate these kind gestures by ensuring that these recruitment exercises are transparent, merit based and in compliance with the letters of the federal character commission.
“We are determined to give Nigerians credible, committed and citizen based policemen who will always operate within the dictates of the law.
“The Commission will immediately after the conclusion of the 2020 suspended exercise proceed with the recruitment of another 10,000 Nigerians for 2021. The advertisement for applications is expected to be out this December”.
“Let me use this opportunity to commend the leadership of the Nigerian Police Force led by IGP Usman Alkali Baba for the new found progressive working relationship with the commission. This has enabled us to iron out grey areas that hitherto appeared contentious in the past” he added.
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