Ministry, Police Academy Dismiss PSC’S Disclaimer on Admissions as Misleading

The Federal Ministry of Police Affairs and the Nigeria Police Academy in Wudil, Kano State, have dismissed a recent statement by the Police Service Commission (PSC), accusing the commission of disseminating“misleading and inaccurate” information regarding admissions into the 12th Regular Course Degree Programmes of the Nigeria Police Force.

The rebuttal follows a disclaimer issued on July 31, 2025, by the PSC’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, in which the commission disowned a public notice published by the Police Academy. The notice had invited applications into its academic programmes, with the admission window set from July 28 to September 8, 2025. The PSC alleged that the publication contravened laid down procedures and infringed upon its constitutional mandate.

The PSC further insisted that, based on decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, it retains the sole constitutional authority to appoint individuals into the Nigeria Police Force, and declared that any admission or recruitment process conducted without its participation is null and void.

However, in a statement released on August 1, the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs, through its Director of Information and Public Relations, Bolaji Kazeem, pushed back strongly against the PSC’s claims. The ministry, in alignment with the Police Academy, insisted that the ongoing admission process is both lawful and in accordance with the regulatory standards of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Ministry itself.

“The attention of the Nigeria Police Academy and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs has been drawn to a misleading disclaimer issued by the PSC. We wish to categorically state that the ongoing application process into the 12th Regular Course remains valid,” the statement read.

The ministry emphasized that the Police Academy is a degree-awarding institution regulated by the NUC, and not subject to the PSC’s recruitment authority. It argued that university admissions do not fall under the constitutional jurisdiction of the Police Service Commission and therefore, the PSC lacks the legal grounds to interfere in such processes.

Applicants and the general public were advised to ignore the PSC’s disclaimer and continue their application through the official portal, which remains open until the announced closing date.

This clash reflects ongoing friction between the PSC and other agencies within Nigeria’s policing framework over control of recruitment, training, and administrative authority. While the PSC stands firm on its constitutional role in appointments, the Ministry of Police Affairs continues to assert its oversight over institutions like the Police Academy.

With both sides defending their mandates, legal or executive intervention may become necessary to clearly define responsibilities and prevent further institutional overlap. 

Meanwhile, the Ministry and the Academy have assured candidates that their applications remain safe, valid, and will be processed transparently.