Police jobs portal overwhelmed with over 800,000 applications
Although vacancies for 10,000 recruits and senior officers cadre was announced by the Federal government, over 800,000 candidates have so far applied for the recruitment into the largest police Force in Africa.
It was gathered that the portals being used for the recruitment were witnessing record traffic as thousands of unemployed youths applied for recruitment into the police as constables, cadet inspectors and cadet assistant superintendent of police, respectively.
The commission is recruiting candidates into the three entry points of the Nigeria Police Force, which are Constable, Cadet Inspector and Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).
Sources at the Commission told The Guardian that this year’s recruitment is strictly by merit.
Most of the top commissioners in the commission and the Chairman of the commission have switched off their telephone lines since the exercise commenced.
According to the source, “Things have changed and there is nothing anyone can influence for any candidate in this particular recruitment. Not even Mr. President can influence any one in the commission because he has given express instruction that the recruitment must be by merit.
“One of the most important criteria is the age of the candidate. The age limit is 28years old. If any candidate likes, he or she can forge age but there is a committee who would calculate the age from when the candidate gained admission into primary school. Only qualified candidate would be recruited. If anyone asks you to bring money in order to influence recruitment, the person is deceiving you. One million people might apply, but by the time they are screened, you would discover that they would fall by the way side due to over-age.”
An instruction on the portal read: “The Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force DO NOT demand or accept gifts or gratification to offer employment. Do not offer money to anyone before, during or after the recruitment exercise. Any candidate found doing either of these would be summarily disqualified and prosecuted.”
The PSC Commissioner in charge of Media, Comfort Obi, told The Guardian on telephone that over 800,000 candidates had applied, noting that only 10,000 applicants would be recruited.
“The rate at which people are applying is amazing. As at Tuesday last week, over 600,000 applicants have so far applied; you know there is no job in the country, so many people are interested in joining the police. The exercise would run for six weeks in compliance with the directive from the Federal Character Commission, which said that recruitment exercise must run for at least six weeks to enable all interested persons, qualified Nigerians to apply. However, only 10,000 will be recruited,” she explained.
Chairman of the commission, Sir Mike Okiro unveiled ‘an online portal’, where interested men and women would get free forms to apply for the three cadres that will make up the 10,000 vacancies as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari last year.
A source said the PSC considers the exercise remarkable there had been no recruitment into the Police for over five years due to financial constraint.
Okiro had noted that the portal has been structured in a way that there will be no short cut. Everybody must go through due process.”
Candidates for police constables are expected to possess five credit level passes including Mathematics and English Language in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination in not more than two sittings.
For cadet inspectors, in addition to having the requirements of police constables, candidates would be expected to have either an Ordinary National Diploma, Advanced Level, National Certificate of Education or their equivalents.
Candidates for cadet ASPs must possess a university degree or a Higher National Diploma, the PSC said.
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
1 Comments
This is unfortunate! why should the FG allow 29 and 30 years old to go for NYSC and not allow them to be recruited into the force. Nigeria and double standards
We will review and take appropriate action.