Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
A group of policemen has appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to release the names of successful candidates who participated in the 2015 upgrading screening exercise national interest and effect their promotion to the rank of the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).
Speaking on behalf of the affected policemen, one of the affected policemen serving in Ogun State Command, told Daily Sun that the then IG, Solomon Arase, announced in 2014, that policemen on the other ranks but had acquired additional qualifications should apply for the upgrading.
He stated that several junior police officers seized the opportunity and participated in the exercise by writing an aptitude test conducted and supervised by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in 2015.
The police corporal, who craved anonymity, said his name and many of his colleagues were later published as successful candidates. He added that they further were informed, through a signal from the Office of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Department of Training and Development, DTD), Police Headquarters, Abuja, to undertake psychometric test, also conducted by WAEC in 2016.
He stated that after the test, successful candidates were shortlisted for a final test in Abuja, recalling he was among those who had been earlier cleared at the zonal level by the then AIG in charge of Zone 2, Joseph Mbu, in 2015.
He, however, expressed dismay that despite fulfilling all the requirements, no action has been taken on the pending upgrading exercise since 2016 the final interview was conducted.
The policeman, who said it was frustrating to see new ASP cadets being recruited without first considering those who had acquired additional qualifications in the force, however, urged the IG and police authority to act on the pending promotion exercise.