Police Promotions Spark Controversy as Junior Officers are Promoted Ahead of Seniors

A recent police wireless message dated April 23, 2025, has confirmed the latest promotions within the Nigerian Police Force, including the 2022 Specialist cadre.

However, the move has sparked anger and frustration among some officers who feel that they have been unjustly sidelined.

According to sources within the force, personnel from Courses 27, 28, and 29 have been promoted ahead of their seniors in Course 26, despite being junior in rank. The affected officers, who are from the 2021 General Duty batch, claim that they were skipped over in favor of the 2022 Specialist cadre.

“It’s unacceptable that they would promote junior officers ahead of us,” one of the aggrieved officers told SaharaReporters. “We are the ones who should be next in line for promotion to Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), but instead, they are promoting the 2022 specialists who are far junior to us.”

The police wireless message, which was circulated to state police commissioners and other relevant offices, confirms the promotions and directs affected officers to forward their completed APER forms for the periods of 2022, 2023, and 2024.

The move has been met with dismay and frustration among the affected officers, who feel that the promotions are unfair and unjust. “They’re promoting 2022 specialists ahead of us — SP General Duty 2021 — which is unacceptable,” another officer said.

The controversy has raised questions about the fairness and transparency of the promotion process within the Nigerian Police Force. The affected officers are calling for a review of the promotions and for the force to adhere to the established hierarchy and promotion protocols.

The incident has also sparked concerns about the potential impact on morale and discipline within the force. As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the Nigerian Police Force will address the concerns of the affected officers and ensure that the promotion process is fair, transparent, and based on merit.