Personnel of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) are in uproar following a controversial wave of promotions that saw junior officers leapfrog their seniors in the force’s hierarchy.
According to an internal police communication obtained by SaharaReporters, officers from Courses 27, 28, and 29, all part of the 2022 Specialist Cadre, were promoted ahead of their seniors in Course 26 (2021 General Duty batch), sparking accusations of favoritism and disregard for the established order of service.
A wireless message dated April 23, 2025, bearing reference number CB:4001/FS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.12/88, was sent from the Force Secretary in Abuja to Commissioners of Police across various states. The message directed that Specialist officers promoted on or before May 12, 2022, forward their APER forms for 2022 to 2024, ahead of further processing.
But the directive has left Course 26 officers, who had been due for promotion to Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), feeling blindsided.
“Instead of promoting General Duty 2021, they skipped us and promoted Specialist 2022, who are far junior to us,” one aggrieved officer lamented.
Another senior personnel voiced his frustration:
“They’re promoting 2022 specialists ahead of us SP General Duty 2021 which is unacceptable.”
The Nigerian Police Force is known for following structured promotional pathways based on rank, service year, and discipline, with the General Duty officers often prioritized due to their broader operational roles. But the latest action appears to contradict that tradition.
Critics argue that such a decision undermines morale within the force and sends the wrong message to career officers who have remained loyal and served dutifully without shortcuts.
As of Friday morning, no official statement has been issued by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), and it remains unclear whether the decision will be reviewed or reversed.
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