Nigerian police to begin physical screening for 50,000 recruits on March 9

The Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force will commence physical and credential screening for applicants in the ongoing recruitment of 50,000 constables on March 9, 2026.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by Torty Njoku Kalu, spokesman of the Commission, at its headquarters in Abuja.

The exercise follows the completion of online registration and forms the next stage in the nationwide recruitment process.

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**What the PSC said **

According to the Police Service Commission, screening will take place from March 9 to April 18, 2026, at designated centres across all states and the Federal Capital Territory.

• “Applicants are requested to login to the recruitment portal:  to check their status and print the following documents which they must present at the screening venue on the date and time indicated in their Invitation Slip: (i). Guarantors form; (ii). Application Submission Slip; (iii). Invitation Slip; (iv). Credentials Screening Form; (v). Physical Screening Form,” they stated.

Applicants are required to appear at screening venues wearing white canvas shoes, white T-shirts, white shorts and white stockings.

The venues will be located within each applicant’s state of origin or the Federal Capital Territory, as indicated on the invitation slip.

**Backstory **

The recruitment exercise is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen personnel capacity within the Nigeria Police Force following months of rising insecurity across parts of Nigeria, including attacks, kidnappings and banditry that have put pressure on federal authorities to act.

• In response to this, President Bola Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency in late November and directed the Nigeria Police Force and the armed forces to recruit additional personnel to tackle the rising threat.
• The process began with an online application phase open to eligible Nigerians. The portal opened on December 15, 2025, and closed on January 25, 2026, completing the application phase ahead of the screening exercise.
• The recruitment is divided into two categories: General Duty Police Constables and Specialist Recruits. The specialist category covers areas such as medical services, transport, explosive ordnance disposal and chemical response, K9, mounted troop, marine, artisan trades, communications, information technology and band units.

Specialist roles include medical assistants, drivers, mechanics, dispatch riders, dog handlers, horse riders, divers, underwater welders, marine engineer assistants, electricians, refrigeration and air conditioning technicians, welders and various technical positions in IT and communications.

**More insights **

During the screening, candidates must present the following:

• Invitation slip with assigned table
• Credential screening form
• Original National identity number printout or card issued by NIMC
• O’ Level (GCE/SSCE) certificate
• Birth certificate or declaration of age
• Local government or state certificate of origin
• Trade test certificate for specialist applicants
• Duly completed and signed guarantors form with photocopies and passport photographs of referees attached
• Original and duplicate copies of credentials neatly packaged in two separate white flat files with recent passport photographs attached

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu (rtd), reiterated that the recruitment exercise is free of charge and carries no financial obligation. He warned applicants to avoid scammers and online impostors attempting to exploit the process, noting that offenders will be arrested and prosecuted.

**What you should know **

Nigeria has faced a sustained rise in insecurity, with kidnapping for ransom and rural attacks becoming widespread security threats.

• A Nairametrics report notes that at least 4,722 people were kidnapped in 997 incidents between mid-2024 and mid-2025, with the government paying at least N2.56 billion for ransom between July 2024 and June 2025 to free abductees.
• Recent international reports alleged that the Federal Government paid as much as N2 billion in ransom and released two top Boko Haram commanders as part of negotiations to secure the release of 230 schoolchildren and staff abducted from St. Mary’s Boarding School in Niger State.

The government has, however, denied these claims, describing the reports as false and baseless, insisting no ransom was paid and no commanders were released during the rescue operation.

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