Police hunt authors of fake 50,000 recruits training order

The Nigeria Police Force has launched a manhunt for the people behind a forged statement claiming that Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, had ordered the commencement of training for 50,000 newly recruited constables.

The fake statement, which circulated widely on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, was presented on Nigeria Police Force letterhead and carried the name of the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu.

It was titled: “IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu Directs Commencement of Training for 50,000 Newly Recruited Police Constables.”

The document claimed that the IGP had directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Training and Development to begin arrangements for the recruits’ training.

It also alleged that successful candidates should check the official police recruitment portal from Monday, September 14, 2026, for information about their training institutions and resumption dates.

The statement further purported to quote the IGP as thanking President Bola Tinubu for supporting efforts to tackle insecurity and strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.

But in a disclaimer issued on Friday, the police described the document as completely false.

“The Nigeria Police Force disclaims the purported press release titled, ‘IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu Directs Commencement of Training for 50,000 Newly Recruited Police Constables,’ currently in circulation and bearing the name and designation of the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu,” the statement said.

The Force stressed that the document was neither issued nor authorised by any of its organs.

It warned members of the public, particularly police recruitment candidates, not to rely on unverified messages or unofficial social media accounts.

“Members of the public, particularly police recruitment candidates, are advised to disregard its contents and rely only on information published through the official Police recruitment portal and verified NPF communication channels,” the police said.

The Force also confirmed that it was tracking the individuals responsible for producing and distributing the forged statement.

It warned that anyone found behind the fabrication would face legal action.

“The Force is currently on the trail of the persons responsible for generating and circulating the false document and will take appropriate legal action against those found culpable,” it added.

The disclaimer comes amid repeated fake recruitment announcements attributed to security agencies, many of which have misled job seekers and raised fears of possible scams targeting desperate applicants.

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