Over 616,000 Nigerians apply for 50,000 slots police jobs as Adamawa tops list
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has announced that 616,873 applications were received in the ongoing recruitment exercise into the Nigeria Police Force, with Adamawa State recording the highest number of applicants nationwide.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Chairman of the PSC Standing Committee on Police Matters, DIG Taiwo Lakanu (retd), disclosed that 434,604 applicants were qualified for further screening out of the total submissions received. Meanwhile, 121,596 applicants were found unqualified, and 60,673 submissions were declared invalid.
A breakdown of the applications showed that 348,974 candidates applied for General Duty positions, while 85,630 applied as Specialist applicants.
On gender distribution, Lakanu revealed that 442,592 applicants were male, while 114,640 were female.
According to the final state-by-state analysis, Adamawa State led with 38,989 applications. Benue followed with 34,511 applicants, Kaduna recorded 30,397, while Borno posted 24,009 applications.
However, some states recorded relatively low turnout. Ebonyi had 1,667 applications; Anambra, 1,739; Bayelsa, 2,430; and Lagos, 2,448.
Lakanu explained that at the early stage of the exercise, wide disparities were observed in participation across states. This prompted the commission, in consultation with the police and other stakeholders, to approve a two-week extension of the application deadline to allow states with low turnout intensify sensitisation efforts. He noted that the intervention yielded positive results and improved participation across the federation.
He described the high number of applications as a reflection of Nigerian youths’ confidence in policing as a career of honour and service.
The PSC chairman also announced that the next phase of the recruitment process — physical screening and verification of credentials — will commence on March 9, 2026. He disclosed that comprehensive drug integrity tests would be conducted in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to ensure that only candidates of sound health and proven integrity are admitted.
“Drug users and persons of questionable character will not find their way into the Nigeria Police Force,” Lakanu said.
Successful candidates will be posted to designated police colleges for training before deployment to various commands and formations for active service.
Lakanu further announced the introduction of a whistle-blowing policy on police recruitment to enable Nigerians report suspected irregularities, assuring that all reports would be treated confidentially and investigated.
The application portal, which opened on December 15, 2025, was initially scheduled to close on January 25, 2026, but was later extended to February 8, 2026.
The 434,604 qualified applicants will now compete for 50,000 available slots in the exercise.
