SUNTV Global Channel | January 21, 2026
A wave of frustration is sweeping through the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as dozens of inspectors protest prolonged delays in their promotion, months after successfully completing the 2025 Departmental Selection Board (DSB) exercise.
The affected officers, many of whom were recruited into the force in 2001 and promoted to the rank of Inspector in February 2018, say they have met every requirement for advancement but have received no official feedback from Force Headquarters (FHQ) or the Police Service Commission (PSC) since the exercise concluded in December 2025.
Speaking to SUNTV Global Channel under anonymity, one of the inspectors described the situation as “deeply demoralising and unfair.”
“We sat for the Departmental Selection Board in December 2025 and completed everything required of us. Since then, there has been complete silence—no explanation, no update, nothing from FHQ or the PSC,” the officer said.
The inspectors expressed anger that while their promotion process has stalled, some senior officers were reportedly elevated within three weeks during the same period.
“What pains us most is that senior officers were promoted almost immediately. Meanwhile, those of us who waited patiently and fulfilled all conditions are left in uncertainty,” another inspector lamented.
According to the officers, the delay is already taking a toll on morale across the ranks, with junior officers increasingly worried about their own future progression.
“This uncertainty is damaging morale. Our juniors are watching closely and asking questions. If this can happen to us, what guarantee do they have?” one inspector noted.
Some of the affected officers disclosed that frustration over the stalled promotion has driven a number of their colleagues to consider early retirement.
“When promotion becomes unpredictable, motivation disappears. People are already talking about retiring early because there is no clarity anymore,” an officer revealed.
The inspectors have now appealed directly to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, retired DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu, urging them to urgently intervene and address the delay.
“We are not asking for special treatment,” one officer stressed. “All we want is fairness, transparency, and respect for our years of service.”
Documents obtained by SUNTV Global Channel show that the officers were officially invited to the 2025 DSB through a police wireless message issued by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone XI, Osogbo.
The wireless message, dated November 25, 2025, announced that the board would begin on December 1, 2025, at the Zone XI Headquarters in Osogbo, covering officers from Oyo and Osun State Commands, the Police Training School Ibadan, SPU B.22 Ibadan, and the MOPOL Training Unit in Ila-Orangun.
“We honoured the invitation, attended the board as scheduled, and completed the process in good faith,” one inspector said. “That is why the silence afterward is so troubling.”
A retired senior police officer warned that prolonged delays in promotion could undermine discipline and operational efficiency within the force.
“Promotion is not just about rank. It affects morale, command structure, and performance. When officers feel stagnated, it reflects in their work,” he cautioned.
Despite their frustration, the inspectors insist they remain committed to lawful and institutional means of seeking redress.
“We still believe in the system,” one officer said. “We only want the authorities to do the right thing and restore the dignity we have earned through long years of service.”
