No fewer than 400,000 Nigerians have applied for 50,000 constable positions in the ongoing recruitment exercise by the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission (PSC).
Despite the high number of applications, authorities announced a two-week extension of the deadline due to low participation from some states. The application portal, which was initially set to close on January 25, 2026, will now remain open until February 8, 2026.
The extension was confirmed in a statement by PSC spokesperson, Torty Kalu, who explained that although overall applications were significant, there were noticeable imbalances across states. While states like Adamawa, Benue, and Kaduna recorded high turnout, others — including Lagos, Ogun, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, and Anambra — had relatively low numbers.
According to the commission, the extension is aimed at ensuring fair representation nationwide. Eligible Nigerians, especially those from states with fewer applications, have been encouraged to take advantage of the new deadline.
Kalu also called on state governments, local councils, community leaders, and religious organisations to intensify awareness campaigns to boost participation.
The recruitment drive follows a directive by President Bola Tinubu, who declared a nationwide security emergency in November 2025 and ordered increased recruitment into security agencies to tackle rising insecurity.
