Police Service Commission says
holders of Secondary School Certificate would no longer be accepted into the
Nigeria Police Force as constables.
It said the minimum entry requirement
now was Ordinary National Diploma.
The commission also stated that Third
Class degree holders were no longer accepted as Cadet Inspectors, in line with
the reform in the force.
PSC Commissioner and Chairman, Public
Affairs Committee of the commission, Ms. Comfort Obi, who stated this at a news
conference in Abuja on Monday, explained that the commission had reviewed the
recruitment process into the police.
According to her, the PSC has over
the years formulated policies aimed at the efficiency and discipline of the
police force, adding that background checks are now carried out on applicants
to separate bad eggs and discourage people of shady characters from joining the
police.
Obi stated that polygraph tests were
also carried out on applicants to determine drug users, alcoholics and liars
that could tarnish the image of the force.
She said, “The mechanism put in place
by the commission is in line with police regulations to ensure that bad eggs
don’t find their way into the force. We are focusing on the recruitment process
and have raised the minimum entry requirements.
“SSCE holders can no longer join the
police as constables; even a third class degree holder cannot join the Cadet
Inspector cadre. The minimum qualification for a constable is OND and it must
include six credit passes in SSCE including Credit pass in English and
Mathematics.”
The PSC Commissioner in charge of
Strategy, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, explained that written examinations had been
introduced for applicants, adding that promotions in the force were based on
merit.
He explained that 599 cases of
indiscipline were treated between 2008 and 2011. He said 94 officers were compulsorily
retired, and a number of others were sanctioned for various offences.