The Nigeria Police Force has officially launched a long-awaited Special Departmental Selection Board exercise for Inspectors recruited in the year 2000, who have remained stagnant without promotion to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) for over two decades.
BREAKING: Nigerian Police Announce Special Promotion Exercise For Over 4,300 Inspectors After 25-Year Wait, marking a major development in the careers of thousands of rank-and-file officers. A document dated May 5, 2025, signed by AIG Fom Pam Joseph, the Force Secretary on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, confirms this long-overdue advancement opportunity.
The internal memo was circulated to Deputy Inspectors-General, Assistant Inspectors-General across all 17 police zones, state Commissioners of Police, and heads of all training institutions. According to the directive, the interview exercise for promotion will take place between May 19 and May 30, 2025.
Referencing official letters and prior communications from both the Inspector-General’s office and the Police Service Commission, the memo specifies that only those listed Inspectors from the 2000 recruitment batch are eligible for consideration.
The document further assigns Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police as chairmen of the selection panels in their respective zones. These senior officers are tasked with overseeing the process and ensuring that only eligible candidates under their command participate.
A total of 4,395 Inspectors have been selected for the exercise, distributed as follows:
- Abuja HQ – 368
- Zone 1 (Kano) – 153
- Zone 2 (Lagos) – 760
- Zone 3 (Yola) – 126
- Zone 4 (Makurdi) – 212
- Zone 5 (Benin) – 542
- Zone 6 (Calabar) – 92
- Zone 7 (Abuja) – 452
- Zone 8 (Lokoja) – 90
- Zone 9 (Umuahia) – 188
- Zone 10 (Sokoto) – 60
- Zone 11 (Osogbo) – 243
- Zone 12 (Bauchi) – 55
- Zone 13 (Ukpo Dunukofia) – 194
- Zone 14 (Katsina) – 298
- Zone 15 (Maiduguri) – 114
- Zone 16 (Yenagoa) – 323
- Zone 17 (Akure) – 125
This development comes amid growing discontent among officers over stalled promotions and what many describe as systemic neglect of grassroots personnel within the force. Many affected officers have expressed frustration, citing the cancellation of the Advanced Studies Command (ASCON) programme, which previously offered a pathway for career growth to SSCE recruits who later earned higher qualifications.
Under the old ASCON system, officers who obtained university degrees or HNDs could apply for training and, upon completion, earn automatic promotion to ASP. That option, however, has been scrapped—sparking criticism from officers who say the current system favors privileged recruits from the elite and political class entering through the Nigeria Police Academy.
Speaking anonymously, some officers told SaharaReporters that the removal of ASCON has left them in career limbo, even after decades of service and self-improvement.
The new selection exercise, however, offers a glimmer of hope to over 4,300 Inspectors who have waited for 25 years to move forward in their careers.
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