A member of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Taiwo Lakanu, has attributed the low turnout of applicants from the South-West for police recruitment to socioeconomic factors prevailing in the region.
Lakanu, who represents the South-West on the PSC management team and chairs the committee on all police matters, noted that many youths judge the occupation by the officers they encounter on the streets. He encouraged young people to embrace careers within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), highlighting ongoing reforms under the Tinubu administration.
President Bola Tinubu had approved the recruitment of 50,000 new officers to strengthen national security. The online recruitment portal opened on December 15, 2025, and was initially scheduled to close on January 25, 2026. However, due to “significant disparities” in applications across states, the NPF and PSC extended the deadline to February 8, 2026.
According to the PSC’s Head of Protocol and Public Affairs, Torty Kalu, southern states including Lagos, Ogun, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, and Anambra recorded noticeably low participation, while northern and North-Central states such as Adamawa, Benue, and Kaduna posted significantly higher numbers of applicants.
Speaking on Wednesday after assessing the recruitment exercise at the Ogun State Police Command Headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, Lakanu reassured youths that the Police Force is undergoing major reforms and that now is the ideal time to join. “Yes, it’s true the turnout from South-West is low and that’s because of the socioeconomic dynamics in the zone. They find it repugnant, they find it repulsive. But there’s nothing wrong in being a police officer. They judge police officers by those they see on the road. It’s an interesting job,” he said.
Lakanu also commended the enthusiasm of Ogun State applicants, affirming that qualified candidates will be given admission. On national security, he emphasized that all hands are on deck, asserting that the government is actively tackling insecurity across the country. “I’m quite sure Disu will improve on what has been done so far. The President is not sleeping, the Federal Government is not sleeping… we are winning the war,” he added.
The remarks come amid broader efforts to reform the NPF, improve its public image, and attract committed youths into the service, reinforcing the government’s drive to strengthen national security and law enforcement across Nigeria.
