Nigeria Police Force denies IGP smuggling names into Police Academy admission list
The Nigeria Police Force has strongly rejected claims that Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), “smuggled” or inserted names from the National Assembly into the admission list of the Nigeria Police Academy for the 2025/2026 session. The Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, issued a statement condemning a recent media report as “false, malicious and defamatory”.
According to the statement, the process for the Police Academy admissions remains “transparent, merit-based, and strictly guided by due process”. The Force said that a total of 370 candidates ten from each state plus the Federal Capital Territory were admitted, each of whom had met the required academic, physical and character benchmarks. No state was said to have received extra slots.
The Force also clarified that while recommendations from community leaders or institutions are sometimes received, such suggestions do not influence or override the selection process. The statement asserted: “Under the watch of IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, no name is smuggled, no slot is sold and no standard is compromised.”
The allegations stemmed from a report by Sahara Reporters which claimed that large numbers of candidates were inserted into the admission list by the IGP at the behest of senior lawmakers, including the Senate President and his deputy.
In response, the Police Force has challenged Sahara Reporters and any other parties to produce a single verifiable name that fails to meet the stipulated requirements. The Force warned that the publication may result in legal action for defamation and urged the public to disregard the claims.
