Abuja — In one of the largest promotion exercises in recent years, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the elevation of 26,119 Inspectors of Police to the substantive rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police II (ASP II).
The approval followed a recommendation by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and was conveyed in a PSC letter dated January 29, 2026, according to an official police wireless message.
The wireless message, issued from the Nigeria Police Force Secretariat in Abuja and circulated to formations nationwide, stated that the promotions were carried out in line with the Commission’s statutory powers over police appointments and promotions.
Affected officers were elevated from the rank of Inspector to ASP II, marking a significant career advancement for thousands of personnel across the Force. The message added that official gazette notifications and Force Order publications detailing the promotions would be released in due course.
The directive was transmitted to all departments, units, commands, zones, specialised formations, and police institutions nationwide, including the Force Headquarters, zonal and state commands, training institutions, and specialised units such as the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Interpol, Mobile Police, Counter-Terrorism Units, and the Police Air Wing.
The large-scale promotion exercise is regarded as one of the most extensive in recent years and is aimed at boosting morale within the Force.
A breakdown of the promotion list shows that beneficiaries include Ukurodo Angbianhenba (Service No. 1192021), Adedeye Is-haq (Service No. 220047), Lyba Nantim (Service No. 215434), Hamidu Adamu (Service No. 223982), and Andrew Saul (Service No. 191866).
Others promoted are Usaretin Osayande (Service No. 226436), Okaminiwei Bendel (Service No. 200493), Gambo Binta (Service No. 229381), Zainab Dsegbat (Service No. 207768), and Justina Barang (Service No. 192779), among thousands of others nationwide.
However, the promotion exercise comes amid fresh controversy within the Nigeria Police Force, with allegations of a covert and irregular promotion process reigniting concerns over favouritism and institutional decline under the leadership of IGP Egbetokun.
At the centre of the dispute is the promotion of the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Ben Hundeyin, who was elevated from Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), reportedly ahead of several more senior officers.
On Tuesday, the Force announced Hundeyin’s promotion to ACP, which was approved on the recommendation of the IGP. Hundeyin was appointed FPRO in 2025 as a CSP, succeeding Deputy Commissioner of Police Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
