Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu on Monday ordered that entry requirements be waved for applicants into the constable cadre of the Nigeria Police, The Nation learnt last night.
The police yesterday kicked-off the screening of applicants for 10,000 slots nationwide.
President Muhammadu Buhari, had declared that an additional 40, 000 policemen would be added to the NPF in phases of 10,000 over a period of four years.
Force Public Relations Officer Frank Mba had explained that all applicants were expected to appear at the screening centres with their duly completed guarantors forms, National Identity Numbers (NIN); original and duplicate copies of their credentials, comprising O’ Level results, certificates of origin and birth or declaration of age.
During the screening yesterday, spokesman of one of the state Police commands had said that applicants with bad dentition, bow legs, knock-knees, flat foot, married women or expectant mother would be shut out.
He also said that persons not within the 17-25 age bracket, as well as those below 1.5 feet tall for women and 1.7ft for men, would be screened out.
But in a police signal sighted last night by The Nation, the IG directed that no candidate should be disqualified irrespective of their physical appearance, age and qualification.
Adamu said all applicants who successfully submitted their applications online should be attended to by the screening committees of the state commands.
The police wireless message from NIGPOL DTD Abuja addressed you ad-hoc physical screening team heads all states/Fct S in part, “X Ingenpol directs you to attend to all applicants X who successfully submitted their online applications X to police recruitment portal X irrespective of their physical appearance X age X qualification X you have not disqualified any applicant for any reason whatsoever.
Reports of the screening from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Imo, Benue and Gombe states showed massive turnout and adherence to the COVID-19 protocols by the applicants who were all decked in white shorts and T-shirts.
Other states that recorded an impressive number of applicants were Anambra, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Kano, Plateau and Borno.
Over 14,000 applicants turned up for the exercise in Lagos, Ogun and Ondo state Police Commands while 15,000 did in Gombe State where only 132 slots are expected to be filled.
The number of those at the FCT, Imo and Benue screening centres could not be determined.
The Nation gathered that in Lagos where the exercise began at 9 am, some candidates from Agege and Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Areas, were overage while many had incomplete documents.
The Commissioner of Police (CP) Hakeem Odumosu had earlier advised members of the screening committee to maintain professionalism and adhere strictly to the guidelines issued by the Force Headquarters on the conduct of the exercise.
Odumosu, after addressing the committee headed by Deputy Commissioner Bankole Sikiru, admonished the applicants to be wary of recruitment scammers.
Odumosu emphasised that recruitment into the police was free and enjoined the applicants to call 08100004507 for complaints.
In Abuja, the FCT Command Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manzah, advised the candidates to attend on different days according to their council areas.
Candidates in Abuja Municipal Area Council will end their screening at the POWA International School, Area 11 Garki today. Those in Abaji will commence theirs tomorrow and end of Thursday while Bwari applicants will have their turn August 28th and 29.
Those in Gwagwalada are scheduled for August 31 to September 2 and Kuje applicants will attend September 2 and 3. Kwali will be on September 4 and 5.
In Ogun, about 4,800 applied for the job with those from Abeokuta North and South local government areas applicants screened on Monday.
Gombe State Deputy Commissioner of Police Aliyu Adamu said the recruitment began smoothly but was interrupted when their internet gave way to heavy traffic.
“We had to slow down a bit because there was an interruption in the internet. Initially, we started with two computers but I have to request for one more so that we could hasten the work,” Adamu added.
Outside the venue of the screening centre, a large number of applicants who spoke with The Nation expressed their frustration with the slow pace of the process.
“We have been here since 7 am and this is 4 pm. Many of us are still outside waiting for our screening,” One of the applicants who gave his name simply as Umaru said
