Human Rights Group Questions Why Some 2018 Police Officers Allegedly Earn Less Than Junior 2019 Recruits Despite Holding Same Rank
The Advocate for the Protection of Human Rights International (APHRI) has called for an immediate and comprehensive investigation into allegations of promotion delays, salary discrepancies and possible administrative irregularities affecting members of the 2018 recruitment intake of the Nigeria Police Force.
The human rights organisation is demanding a review of promotion records, effective promotion dates, salary steps and remuneration of affected officers following complaints that some personnel recruited into the Force in 2018 allegedly receive lower monthly salaries than officers recruited in 2019, despite being senior in service and, in some cases, occupying the same rank.
The allegations have opened fresh questions over personnel administration, promotion procedures, salary placement and career progression within one of Nigeria’s most important security institutions.
APHRI, in a press release dated September 8, 2026, said it had received complaints from members of the 2018 Police Constable recruitment intake concerning what the organisation described as alleged discrepancies requiring urgent attention from the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission and other relevant authorities.
The organisation said the complaints suggest that some officers recruited in 2018, who entered the Nigeria Police Force before members of the 2019 recruitment intake, allegedly earn less in monthly remuneration than some of their junior colleagues.
According to APHRI, the alleged disparity is particularly troubling where officers recruited during the different recruitment exercises currently hold the same rank, including the rank of Corporal.
The organisation stressed that the allegations require a transparent and impartial investigation to establish the facts and determine whether there are lawful and administrative explanations for the reported differences.
However, APHRI maintained that if the allegations are confirmed, the situation would raise serious concerns about fairness and consistency in the administration of promotion and remuneration within the Nigeria Police Force.
The controversy also centres on the promotion history of members of the 2018 recruitment intake.
APHRI said complaints brought before the organisation indicated that some officers recruited in 2018 allegedly remained at the rank of Constable for more than five years before being promoted in 2023.
The organisation said affected officers have also alleged that some members of the 2019 recruitment intake progressed through the promotion system within a shorter period, estimated at between three and four years.
The human rights organisation said the matter should not be dismissed as an ordinary workplace complaint, considering the potential implications for seniority, morale, discipline, welfare and confidence within the Nigeria Police Force.
APHRI said it was particularly concerned about a situation where officers who entered the service earlier could allegedly find themselves at a financial disadvantage compared with personnel recruited after them without a clear and legally justifiable administrative basis.
The organisation called on the police authorities to establish whether the reported differences resulted from salary placement, promotion effective dates, payroll administration, rank-related steps, recruitment conditions or other factors within the personnel management system.
It said a comprehensive investigation should examine the entire chain of events affecting the career progression of the 2018 recruitment intake rather than merely addressing individual complaints.
APHRI is demanding a review of the recruitment and appointment dates of members of the 2018 and 2019 recruitment intakes.
The organisation also wants authorities to examine the promotion records and effective promotion dates of affected officers, including the period members of the respective intakes spent at the rank of Constable.
It further called for an investigation into the salary structure and step placement of officers recruited in both years and the circumstances responsible for any differences in monthly remuneration.
The group said previous petitions, complaints and appeals submitted by members of the affected 2018 intake should also be reviewed.
According to APHRI, the authorities must determine whether there is any legal or administrative basis for a situation in which junior officers allegedly receive higher salaries than senior officers occupying similar ranks.
The organisation said fairness in personnel administration is critical to maintaining morale and discipline in a security institution as important as the Nigeria Police Force.
Police officers, APHRI argued, operate under demanding conditions and face enormous responsibilities in protecting lives and property across the country.
The organisation said the welfare and professional progression of personnel should therefore be treated as a serious institutional matter.
APHRI also called for the possible regularisation and backdating of promotion dates where investigations establish that officers suffered unjustified delays or administrative errors.
The organisation said any remedial action must be carried out in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and established service procedures.
It stressed that the demand for backdating should not be interpreted as a call for automatic or blanket adjustments but should be considered where a proper investigation establishes that an officer’s promotion was delayed due to an administrative error or other unjustifiable circumstances.
According to the organisation, affected officers whose promotion dates were wrongly handled should receive appropriate remedies where such remedies are legally and administratively justified.
APHRI also demanded the immediate review of salaries and salary steps of affected officers.
The organisation said authorities should take appropriate action to correct any established anomalies that have placed officers recruited in 2018 at an unjustified financial disadvantage.
It said any financial adjustments should be carried out in accordance with applicable police, public service and financial regulations.
The controversy comes amid continuing public debate about the welfare, remuneration and working conditions of personnel within Nigeria’s security agencies.
While the specific allegations raised by APHRI concern officers recruited into the Nigeria Police Force in 2018, the case could attract wider attention because of its implications for how promotion, seniority and remuneration are managed within the Force.
APHRI said the Inspector-General of Police should immediately direct a comprehensive, transparent and impartial investigation into the complaints.
The organisation maintained that an officer who entered the service earlier should not ordinarily be placed at a disadvantage in matters of promotion, seniority and remuneration without a lawful and justifiable reason.
It said the investigation should establish the facts rather than rely on assumptions or administrative explanations that are not subjected to proper scrutiny.
The Police Service Commission was also urged to intervene in the matter.
APHRI said the Commission should examine whether members of the 2018 recruitment intake suffered any irregularity, administrative delay or error in their promotion and career progression.
The organisation called on the Commission to work with relevant authorities within the Nigeria Police Force to identify and correct any genuine discrepancy involving promotion dates, seniority, salary placement and remuneration.
APHRI noted that the administration and management of the Nigeria Police Force are governed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Police Act, 2020, and other relevant laws, regulations and administrative frameworks.
The organisation said principles of fairness, transparency, accountability and non-discrimination should guide personnel administration within public institutions.
It added that officers should not be subjected to arbitrary or unjust treatment in matters affecting legitimate career progression, promotion, seniority or remuneration.
The group also referred to broader national and international principles concerning equality, dignity, fair treatment and protection against unjust discrimination.
APHRI said these principles should inform the conduct of public institutions and the treatment of personnel entrusted with public responsibilities.
The organisation listed relevant legal and human rights frameworks, including the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Police Act, 2020, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
It also referred to international labour principles relating to equality of treatment and fair labour practices.
However, the organisation maintained that its immediate concern was the need for relevant Nigerian authorities to establish the facts surrounding the complaints raised by members of the 2018 recruitment intake.
APHRI President, Dr. Dike Gregory Anioke, Esq., said the organisation was not seeking special treatment for any category of police officers.
According to the organisation, its demand is for fairness, justice, due process and equal treatment under applicable laws and administrative procedures.
The group said the matter should be addressed transparently and professionally to restore confidence among affected officers and prevent growing dissatisfaction within the Nigeria Police Force.
It warned that unresolved personnel disputes could affect morale among officers who believe they have been unfairly treated in matters relating to promotion and remuneration.
APHRI is demanding an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the alleged promotion and salary discrepancies affecting the 2018 Police recruitment intake.
The organisation also wants a review of the promotion records and effective promotion dates of affected officers.
It further demanded the regularisation and appropriate ratification of promotion dates where administrative errors or unjustified delays are established.
Where legally and administratively justified, the organisation said the authorities should consider backdating promotion dates to reflect the appropriate effective period.
APHRI also called for an immediate review and regularisation of alleged salary and salary-step discrepancies between affected members of the 2018 intake and officers recruited in 2019.
The group said appropriate financial adjustments should be considered where investigations establish discrepancies requiring lawful correction.
It also demanded an independent review and intervention by the Police Service Commission and a transparent response to previous complaints and petitions allegedly submitted by members of the affected intake.
The organisation further called for the establishment of clear and transparent mechanisms capable of preventing similar discrepancies in future recruitment and promotion exercises.
Significantly, APHRI demanded assurances that officers would not suffer victimisation, intimidation or retaliation for legitimately raising concerns about promotion, seniority or remuneration.
The organisation said officers must be able to pursue legitimate administrative grievances through lawful channels without fear of persecution.
As the allegations continue to generate concern among affected personnel, attention is expected to focus on the response of the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission.
A formal investigation could determine whether the alleged differences in promotion and salary resulted from administrative errors, differences in salary structures, variations in appointment conditions or other lawful factors.
Until such an investigation is conducted, the allegations remain claims requiring verification by the relevant authorities.
But APHRI has made its position clear: the organisation wants the matter investigated urgently and any established injustice corrected.
The group said a prompt, transparent and lawful resolution would promote fairness, improve morale and strengthen confidence in the administrative structures of the Nigeria Police Force.
APHRI urged the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission and other relevant authorities to act without delay.
The organisation maintained that police officers who commit themselves to protecting lives, property and national security deserve a personnel administration system that is transparent, accountable and fair.
For the affected 2018 recruits, the central question now is whether the authorities will launch the comprehensive review demanded by the human rights organisation and determine why officers who entered the Force earlier allegedly find themselves behind some of their juniors in promotion and remuneration.
The outcome of any investigation could have far-reaching implications for affected officers and could also place renewed scrutiny on the promotion and welfare structures within the Nigeria Police Force.
APHRI said justice in the matter must not only be done but must be seen to be done through a transparent process capable of establishing the facts and correcting any proven irregularity in accordance with the law.
The organisation has therefore called for urgent action, insisting that fairness, equity and institutional integrity must remain central to the management of police personnel across Nigeria.
IBN NEWS will continue to monitor developments and the response of the relevant authorities to the allegations raised by the affected officers and APHRI.
