The dispute has also reportedly created confusion over seniority among officers and, in one instance, triggered a confrontation between two personnel from different commands.

A fresh dispute over promotion in the Nigeria Police Force is exposing growing concerns about administrative inconsistencies, seniority and career progression among officers in several state commands.

SaharaReporters gathered that officers in Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Anambra and Cross River states have been affected by alleged omissions from a recent general promotion exercise, with some personnel questioning how colleagues recruited in the same intake have been promoted while they remain on their previous ranks.

The dispute has also reportedly created confusion over seniority among officers and, in one instance, triggered a confrontation between two personnel from different commands.

Several affected officers who spoke to SaharaReporters on Wednesday said the problem followed a promotion exercise in which state commands were asked to submit the names and details of eligible personnel.

According to one officer familiar with the process, the commands submitted the requested information, including phone numbers, before the promotion list was released.

However, when the list was eventually published, officers from some commands, including Oyo, Akwa Ibom and Anambra, were reportedly missing.

The officer said the affected personnel had initially expected a supplementary list to be released, but alleged that no correction had been made months after the exercise.

The officer said the situation had created an unusual seniority problem, with some personnel now junior in rank despite having earlier joined the force than colleagues who were promoted.

“We don’t really know where it hanged and who is responsible for the situation why our juniors from different states are now our seniors,” the officer said.

Seniority dispute sparks confrontation

SaharaReporters gathered that the promotion dispute has already produced practical problems for officers serving in different commands.

A source familiar with one incident said an officer from Cross River State who had been promoted to the rank of Corporal travelled to Oyo State and demanded that a colleague from the same intake salute him.

The Oyo-based officer, however, remained a Constable because his name was allegedly omitted from the promotion exercise, despite having a senior force number.

The disagreement reportedly escalated into an argument, with civilians eventually intervening.

The incident has raised questions about how the alleged administrative discrepancies are affecting discipline and the established system of rank and seniority within the force.

A source described the situation as an embarrassment to the police, asking, “If you cannot treat your officers right, how do you expect the citizens to respect them?”

The latest controversy follows earlier complaints about promotion and career stagnation within the force.

1991 officers still waiting for promotion

On August 31, SaharaReporters reported that police officers recruited in 1991 were protesting alleged delays in their promotion, with affected personnel claiming they had remained at the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police despite being due for advancement to Deputy Superintendent of Police since 2024.

The officers said they had completed the required Annual Performance Evaluation (APE) documentation but had yet to receive their promotions.

One officer who joined the force in October 1991 told SaharaReporters that members of his recruitment class had spent decades without receiving the promotion they believed they were entitled to.

“We want to retire now, and we are tagged with two star for 35 years, yet police did not give us our rank,” he said.

Another officer said some members of the same recruitment class had retired without receiving the promotion.

“There’s no reason! It’s just wickedness. There’s no reason, we don’t have any query, we don’t have anything against our names,” the officer said.

Earlier complaints over state commands

The current allegations also echo concerns raised in an August 26 report by SaharaReporters over the exclusion of officers attached to Oyo and Akwa Ibom commands, among others, from the general promotion exercise.

Personnel who spoke at the time alleged that some commands had been left out entirely, with officers in those formations receiving no promotions while personnel in other commands were elevated.

The affected officers said they were not demanding preferential treatment but wanted the exercise reviewed to determine whether eligible personnel had been inadvertently omitted.

“We are not asking for anyone to be promoted without meeting the required criteria. We are simply appealing for transparency, fairness, and a proper review of the promotion exercise so that any genuine omissions can be corrected,” one officer said.

A police source also called for the affected cases to be reviewed through the appropriate administrative channels.

“Promotion is not only about rank, it is about an officer’s career, seniority, morale and dignity,” the source said.

Beyond rank and seniority, the officers said delayed promotions could have financial and retirement implications because an officer's rank at the point of retirement may affect career progression and associated entitlements.

One of the officers said personnel approaching retirement were particularly concerned that prolonged delays could prevent them from retiring at the rank they had earned.

Police, PSC yet to respond

The allegations raise questions about the procedures used to compile and approve the recent promotion list, particularly where officers from entire commands were reportedly omitted.

It is unclear from the available information whether the omissions resulted from administrative errors, delays in processing the submissions of affected commands or another factor.

SaharaReporters' attempts to obtain clarification from the Nigeria Police Force were unsuccessful.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Okokon Edem Iniedu, did not answer calls placed to him.

The Police Service Commission, which has a role in police promotions, has also not publicly addressed the specific allegations.

Efforts to reach its spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, were unsuccessful as he did not answer calls as of the time of filing this report.