The Police Service Commission (PSC) has dismissed reports alleging delays in the promotion of police inspectors who passed the 2025 Departmental Selection Board (DSB) exercise, describing the claims as misleading and based on “unsubstantiated anonymous sources.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Commission was responding to a Sahara Reporters publication of January 21, 2026, titled “‘We’ve Done Everything Required’: Police Inspectors Protest Delayed Promotion Months After Passing 2025 Board Exercise.”
“The PSC wishes to categorically rebut the claims made in the article, which appear to be based on unsubstantiated anonymous sources and misrepresent the Commission’s processes and commitments,” the statement said.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, fairness and merit-based promotions within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), noting that promotions are governed by established guidelines and statutory procedures.
“Contrary to the report’s assertion of ‘total silence’ and ‘no explanation’ from the PSC or Force Headquarters, all officers who participated in the 2025 DSB have been duly informed through official channels about the status of their evaluations,” the PSC stated.
According to the Commission, records of communication with affected officers are available, and officers experiencing challenges were advised to verify their status through their commands or directly with the PSC.
Addressing claims that inspector-level promotions were stalled while senior officers were promoted within weeks, the Commission said the comparison was inaccurate.
“The claim is misleading and overlooks the distinct procedural tracks for different ranks. Inspector-level promotions involve larger numbers of candidates and additional layers of verification, including background checks and performance audits across states and commands,” the statement explained.
The PSC added that the 2025 DSB exercise, conducted in December 2025, was successfully concluded and that promotion processing was ongoing.
“There is no evidence of undue delay. In fact, the PSC has accelerated efforts to finalise announcements in the coming days, in line with fiscal and administrative cycles,” it said.
The Commission also rejected suggestions that the situation had caused widespread demoralisation or prompted threats of early retirement among junior officers.
“Such claims are speculative and not reflective of the broader sentiment within the Force. We have not received formal complaints from the affected officers through institutional channels,” the PSC noted, urging officers to utilise established grievance procedures rather than resorting to media reports.
Under the leadership of its Chairman, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Hashimu Salihu Argungu, the PSC said it remained committed to the welfare and career progression of police personnel, working closely with the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun.
“We have successfully promoted thousands of officers in recent years and will continue to do so without favouritism. Any perceived delays are due to rigorous due diligence to ensure integrity and equity, not neglect,” the statement said.
The PSC further called on media organisations to verify information before publication.
“We urge Sahara Reporters and other media outlets to verify facts with the PSC before publishing potentially divisive stories that could undermine public trust in our institutions,” it added.
