Police extend recruitment deadline, urge Sokoto youths to apply

The Sokoto State Police Command has called on qualified youths across the state to take advantage of the extended deadline for the ongoing recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force.

The appeal follows a fresh directive from the Police Service Commission (PSC), which announced a two-week extension to give more applicants the opportunity to participate in the exercise.

Originally scheduled to close on January 25, the application window will now remain open until February 8, 2026.

According to the PSC, the extension is aimed at ensuring equal representation and nationwide balance in the recruitment process, allowing more eligible candidates from different states to apply.

Speaking in Sokoto, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, said the Command was keen on ensuring that Sokoto State did not lag behind in applications as the recruitment exercise enters a crucial stage.

“We are calling on eligible sons and daughters of Sokoto State to seize this opportunity and apply. This is a rare and noble chance to serve our nation and contribute to the safety and security of our communities,” Rufai said.

He said the recruitment process is free and strictly online, and warned interested applicants against falling prey to scammers or middlemen who claim to facilitate enrollment.

“No individual, group or association has been authorised to collect money or intervene in this recruitment. Anyone making such promises is attempting to defraud the public,” Rufai added.

The recruitment drive is part of a broader national effort to strengthen manpower within the Nigeria Police Force amid rising internal security challenges across the country. In recent years, the Force has experienced shortages of operational and administrative personnel due to retirements, transfers, and an expanding security workload.

The extension also follows concerns raised in previous recruitment cycles that some states — particularly in the North-West and South-East — recorded lower application numbers, affecting their final representation.

In Sokoto, security has been a key policy priority for both federal and state authorities due to banditry and rural insecurity affecting border communities. Analysts say increased local recruitment could improve community policing and intelligence gathering.

Rufai said youths from all 23 Local Government Areas are expected to submit applications through the PSC portal.

He emphasised that the Command wants Sokoto to “be fully and adequately represented,” noting that states that recorded low numbers in previous intakes struggled to fill their allocated quotas.

Applications are to be submitted only via the PSC portal: www.npfapplication.psc.gov.ng

The Command advised interested candidates to complete the process before the new closing date of February 8, 2026.