The race for higher command within the Nigeria Police Force reached a decisive point yesterday as 630 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) sat for promotion examinations to advance to the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP).
The highly competitive examination, coordinated by the Police Service Commission (PSC) in partnership with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), was simultaneously conducted across multiple centers nationwide.
A senior police official, who confirmed the figure, described the process as “a critical test of merit, integrity and readiness for leadership within the Force.” “This is not a routine exercise. Every officer here is fighting for a badge that signifies command authority. The rank of SP is the gateway to higher responsibilities and it will not be handed out lightly,” the source declared.
According to the PSC, the exercise marks a turning point in its reform agenda aimed at dismantling the culture of automatic promotion in the Force. Candidates were examined on policing strategy, administrative competence, and professional ethics, in what insiders describe as “the toughest promotional hurdle yet.”
At the Abuja center, a visibly tense candidate remarked
The results are expected in the coming weeks, but for now, an air of tension grips the Force as 630 officers await their fate.
