Decades of Stalled Careers: Police ’91 Set Call for Tinubu, PSC Intervention
By Adewale Owoade
Police officers enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in 1991 on Saturday staged a peaceful protest in Ibadan, Oyo State, calling on President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Police Service Commission (PSC) to intervene in what they described as decades of stalled career progression.
Speaking with journalists during the protest, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP I), who declined to be named, said officers of the 1991 recruitment set had spent over 30 years in service without receiving promotions as and when due, despite meeting all required conditions and appearing before the same promotion boards as their colleagues.
“We were enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in 1991, but since then, our promotions have not followed due process. It was only during the tenure of former IGP, Mustafa Adebayo Balogun, that some relief came after we spent about 11 years and six months on the rank of constable.
”In 2002, we were promoted to the rank of corporal. Since then, many of us have continued to experience stagnation at various stages of our careers,” he said.
The officer explained that in 2019, members of the 1991 set appeared before the promotion board alongside Cadet Inspectors and Inspector Cadets, noting that although they sat for the same examinations, different promotion dates were assigned when results were released.
“While Cadet Inspectors were given promotion dates backdated to 2009, our own promotions were dated 2020,” he stated.
According to him, although officers of the 1991 set were later promoted to the rank of ASP I, they were excluded when promotion to DSP rank Deputy superintendent of Police (DSP), was conducted.
“When it was time for promotion to DSP rank Deputy superintendent of Police (DSP), only Cadet Officers were promoted, even though we were meant to move together, as had been done previously, even if with different effective dates,” he added.
He disclosed that several petitions had been submitted to the Inspector-General of Police and the Police Service Commission, seeking redress, but none had yielded positive results.
The officer further noted that most officers enlisted in 1991 are due for retirement in 2026, expressing concern that many may leave the service without attaining the ranks they deserved after more than three decades of service.
The protesting officers also lamented that in December 2025, some junior officers were promoted to the rank of DSP, while members of the 1991 set were excluded.
They added that another promotion exercise had commenced this year without any consideration for their promotion to DSP rank Deputy superintendent of Police (DSP)
“Promotion exercises have started again, yet nothing has been released for us. We are appealing to the Inspector-General of Police to urgently look into our matter and approve our promotion before we retire from service,” the officer said.
He described the situation as a nationwide issue affecting officers enlisted in 1991 across the federation, stressing that the protest was aimed at drawing attention to what they described as persistent injustice.
“This is not just about Ibadan or Oyo State. Officers recruited in 1991 across the country are affected. We are only asking for fairness and the promotion we have earned after decades of dedicated service,” he said.
The officers warned that continued neglect could further dampen morale within the police force, urging the Federal Government, the IGP and the Police Service Commission to urgently address the matter in the interest of justice, equity and institutional integrity.
