The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has vehemently denied a report published by Sahara Reporters on November 10, 2025, which alleged that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, “smuggled names” onto the Nigeria Police Academy (NPA) admission list.
In a strongly-worded press statement released on November 11, 2025, the Force, through its Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, labelled the report a “barefaced lie,” a “product of irresponsible and unethical journalism,” and a “calculated attempt to mislead Nigerians and malign the reputation” of the NPF and its leadership.
The NPF insisted that the admission process for the Nigeria Police Academy remains “transparent, merit-based, and strictly guided by due process.”
For the 2025/2026 academic session, a total of 370 candidates, ten per state, were admitted. The Force maintained that all admitted candidates were selected “solely on merit, having met all academic, physical, and character benchmarks” required by the Academy.
Addressing the issue of potential recommendations, the NPF acknowledged that well-meaning individuals or institutions may recommend candidates—a “customary” practice in public institutions. However, it categorically stated that “such recommendations do not override merit, nor do they influence the selection process.”
“Under the watch of IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, no name is smuggled, no slot is sold, and no standard is compromised,” the statement asserted.
The Force directly challenged Sahara Reporters to provide concrete proof to back up its claims.
“The Nigeria Police Force therefore, dares Sahara Reporters to produce a single verifiable name from the approved list that does not meet the stipulated admission requirements,” the statement read. “Until such evidence is produced, the report remains what it truly is, a baseless fabrication, an act of journalistic blackmail, and a grave defamation of character.”
The NPF went on to describe the alleged misinformation as a “direct assault on national institutions” and “subversive propaganda,” rather than investigative journalism.
The press release concluded with a stern caution to the media outlet to “desist from its habitual dissemination of false and malicious reports” against the NPF. Failure to comply, the Force warned, would lead to legal redress, “including defamation proceedings,” against Sahara Reporters and any complicit individuals.
The public has been advised to “disregard the said publication in its entirety,” as the NPF reaffirms its commitment to “merit, transparency, and accountability.”
