90% applicants score below 30% in police recruitment examinations –PSC

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi

Police Service Commission (PSC), yesterday, said more than 90 percent of applicants, seeking recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force, have consistently failed to score up to 30 percent in the examinations.

PSC Chairman, Musliu Smith, disclosed during a sensitisation and town hall meeting on the police recruitment exercise in Birnin Kebb, which was also attended by Lawal Bawa, who is commissioner of PSC in charge of North-West zone.

Smith, whose speech was read by PSC Deputy Director, Hawa Komo, said part of the challenges the commission discovered during its recruitment exercises were the academic challenges of applicants, which he described as a sad reflection of the society.

He also tasked Nigerian to encourage upright and responsible citizens to apply to join the police.

“If our responsible and upright young ones are discouraged from joining the police, where are we going to source for police officers of our dreams? Police and policing are a noble act and deserves the best of the society to join and change the narrative on the issue of internal security of our nation.

“Most of the applicants seem academically challenged as more than 90 percent have consistently failed to score up to 30 percent in the examinations. This is a sad reflection of the calibres of officers that will be patrolling our communities in the event that these persons actually end up enlisted in the police.

“Perhaps due to disenchantment with the police, the inability of citizens to appreciate the value of police and policing has further impacted the quality of persons applying to work in the force.

“These challenges must be addressed. This is a herculean task which can be only achieved with the active support of members of the community like you,” he said.