Across the country, 9,989 police recruits have graduated as constables from various police colleges and trainings.
Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, revealed this in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday.
Adejobi quoted the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, as saying that the new constables must be disciplined and professional in their duties.
The police chief was also said to have told them that their advancement would be determined by their efficiency in service delivery, and that the recruitment was a significant step forward by the Federal Government in addressing the force’s manpower shortage.
Adejobi added that only 9,989 out of the 10,000 selected candidates for the 2020 Batch, passed out after rigorous trainings, while the remaining 11 could not make it to the final stage.
“11 of the 10,000 police recruits who commenced the training could not meet up with components of the standards set for exercise in the course of the training, hence they could not pass out as police constables,” he said.
He noted that shortly after this passing out parade, another set of 10,000 recruits will be resuming training under the 2021 batch.
He said, “The Nigeria Police Force has passed out a total of 9,989 police constables of the 2020 batch of 10,000 police recruits on July 6, 2022, from four Police Colleges and 12 training colleges nationwide.
“The police constables who have undergone six months intensive and rigorous training in basic, intermediate and advanced police studies, have engaged in physically exerting and intellectually challenging training activities that were carefully designed to transit the recruits from civilianship to professional police officers with the right orientation to meet the challenges of policing an increasingly democratic and rule of law-driven Nigerian environment.
“The IGP said the recruitment and training represents another huge step in the drive by the Federal Government to change the narratives of policing by addressing the age-long manpower gap that has been inhibiting optimal police service delivery in this country. The manpower drive equally aims to meet and possibly surpass the United Nations recommendation of one policeman to 400 people.”