No Promotion Scandal, Says IGP as Nigeria Police Promote 74,352 Officers

Remi Ladigbolu/

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has dismissed claims of irregularities in recent promotion exercises within the Nigeria Police Force.

Egbetokun insisted “there is no promotion scandal”, as official figures show that 74,352 officers have been promoted nationwide since January 2025.

The clarification follows the release of a detailed promotion summary by the Force Public Relations Department, which was shared on official police social media platforms.

The data outlines promotions across senior, middle and junior ranks, which police authorities say reflect a structured and merit-driven career progression system.

According to the figures, 11 officers were promoted from Assistant Inspector-General to Deputy Inspector-General, while 45 Commissioners of Police advanced to Assistant Inspector-General.

Sixty-nine Deputy Commissioners were promoted to Commissioners of Police, and 156 Assistant Commissioners moved up to the rank of Deputy Commissioner.

At the middle officer level, 270 Chief Superintendents were promoted to Assistant Commissioner, 1,014 Superintendents to Chief Superintendent, and 615 Deputy Superintendents to Superintendent. In addition, 980 Assistant Superintendents I were elevated to Deputy Superintendent.

The largest number of promotions occurred within the lower officer and non-commissioned ranks. A total of 30,828 Inspectors were promoted to Assistant Superintendent II, while 13,496 officers advanced from Assistant Superintendent II to Assistant Superintendent I.

The data also show that 16,970 Sergeants were promoted to Inspector, 8,840 Corporals to Sergeant, and 58 Police Constables to Corporal.

Reacting to public commentary surrounding the exercise, Egbetokun said the promotion process is guided by professionalism and competence, not favouritism.

“We will not be swayed by those who trade in falsehood or seek to undermine the integrity of our institution. There is no promotion scandal in the Nigeria Police Force. What we have is a system that rewards diligence, professionalism and proven capacity,” the IGP said.

In an accompanying post, the police stated that the figures demonstrate the Force’s commitment to fairness and improved service delivery, noting that the promotion record since 2025 underscores a deliberate effort to address long-standing concerns over stagnation and morale within the service.

The promotion drive forms part of broader reform measures aimed at strengthening command effectiveness, motivating personnel and improving policing outcomes, as the Nigeria Police Force continues to grapple with complex security challenges across the country.

Police authorities say the scale and spread of the promotions are intended to reinforce confidence in internal processes and ensure that career advancement aligns with performance, discipline and operational needs nationwide.