Northern States Top Shortlisted Candidates for Police Recruitment Exams

PSC says South-east, Lagos showed apathy

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Northern States topped the list of shortlisted candidates for the conduct of computer-based test for recruitment into the constable cadre of the Nigeria Police held in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory.

States in the South-east and Lagos State showed apathy and turned up in lower numbers.

A statement by Police Service Commission (PSC) said the exercise witnessed huge disparities between the North and South in terms of interest shown to join the police constable cadre.

Interest to join the force was more pronounced in the North-east, North-west and North-central while the South-east and Lagos witnessed “sustained apathy” as was the case in past recruitment exercises.

The statement affirmed that in the North-east, 4,063 applicants were shortlisted in Borno while 3,948 sat  for the exams; 2,163 were shortlisted in Taraba while 2,082 showed up.

In Gombe State, 2,204 were shortlisted and 2,117 applicants sat for the exams; Adamawa had 4,295 shortlisted and 4,161 sat for the exams while 3,317 candidates were shortlisted in Bauchi and 3,226 sat for the exams. Yobe state had 1,839 shortlisted candidates and 1,841 sat for the exams.

In respect of the North-west, 3,733 candidates were shortlisted for Kaduna State and 3,585 sat for the exams, Kano had 3,816 shortlisted candidates and 3,689 sat for the exams; Katsina, 4,167 applicants shortlisted while 4,051 sat for the exams.

For North Central, (Kogi), 2,024 were shortlisted while  1,979, sat for the exams; Plateau, 2,274 shortlisted, 2,185 showed up for the exams.

It said 4,105 were shortlisted in Benue and 3,444 sat for the exams. In Niger State, 2,530 candidates were shortlisted while 2,444 sat for the exams.

Kwara State had 1150 applicants shortlisted and 1096 showed up for exams while the Federal Capital Territory Abuja had 551 shortlisted candidates and 535 showed up for the exams.

The figures for South-south Zone include Akwa Ibom, 2,263, shortlisted, 2,195 sat for the exams; Cross Rivers, 1,350 were shortlisted, 1,290 appeared for the exams; Rivers, 947 were shortlisted, 907 sat for the exams; Bayelsa, 502 were shortlisted, 462 showed up for the exams; Edo, 696 were shortlisted, 659 sat for the exams and Delta where 487 were shortlisted and 436 sat for the exams.

The figures for South-west states are Ogun, 677 shortlisted, 648 sat for the exams; Osun; 1,137 shortlisted, 1,088 showed up for the exams; Ekiti; 727 shortlisted, 692 sat for the exams; Ondo, 1,532 shortlisted, 1,431 showed up; and Oyo, 954 shortlisted, 904 sat for the exams.

In the South-east, Anambra had the least number of applicants shortlisted for the exercise and who sat for the exams. Only 143 applicants were shortlisted and 134 showed up for the exam.

The state is closely followed by Ebonyi State with 202 shortlisted applicants while 184 sat for the examination.

Lagos State came third from the rear with 277 shortlisted applicants and 275 sitting for the exams.

The figures for the other South-east states include Enugu, 400 shortlisted, 362 showed up; Imo, 506 shortlisted, 467 sat for the exams and Abia, 318 shortlisted and 294 showed up.

The statement said the commission expressed satisfaction  with the conduct of the computer based test held nationwide on  Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st April 2022 for Police applicants for the Constables cadre in the Nigeria Police Force.

It said the exercise was successful in virtually all the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

The commission’s delegation across the states confirmed there were no incidences of server hitches or breakdown of computers.

“The exercise was peaceful, orderly and  shortlisted candidates who showed up  were given the opportunity to participate”, it said.

Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector-General of Police, said the exercise was a huge improvement from the previous exercises.

 Smith who was the National Coordinator  said: “The commission will ensure that the success recorded would be sustained and improved upon”.