The Nigeria Police Force has warned successful applicants in the 2026 Police Constable recruitment exercise against a fake September 18 training notice circulating online, saying the document did not originate from the Force.
The warning has raised fresh concerns over the growing use of fraudulent recruitment messages to mislead job seekers, particularly during a nationwide exercise involving thousands of prospective recruits.
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In a disclaimer issued by the Force Public Relations Department, the Nigeria Police Force described the purported directive as false, unauthorised and not an official communication.
The notice reportedly instructed prospective Police Constable recruits to report for training on September 18, 2026.
The police urged candidates to disregard the date and avoid making arrangements based solely on information contained in the circulating document.
The Force said prospective trainees should rely exclusively on information communicated through their recruitment portals and official communication channels of the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission.
The clarification comes as the recruitment process for 50,000 Police Constables continues following the large-scale hiring programme approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in late 2025.
The Police Service Commission opened the recruitment portal on December 15, 2025, before releasing the list of successful candidates in July 2026.
On August 6, 2026, the commission formally handed over the 50,000 successful recruits to the Nigeria Police Force for training at approved institutions.
The latest fake notice reportedly attempted to resemble an official police document, giving the false impression that the September 18 reporting date had been formally approved.
The document was also said to contain instructions concerning items prospective trainees should bring, increasing the likelihood that unsuspecting applicants could act on the information.
The police have therefore cautioned candidates against treating social media posts, forwarded messages or unofficial publications as confirmation of recruitment developments.
The Force’s warning is particularly significant because recruitment exercises often attract fraudsters who exploit applicants’ desire to secure employment by circulating convincing-looking documents and making false claims about access to recruitment or training opportunities.
The Nigeria Police Force has consequently urged applicants not to pay anyone who claims to have the ability to secure recruitment, selection or training slots.
The Force also appealed to members of the public to stop forwarding unverified recruitment information capable of creating confusion among prospective trainees.
For candidates awaiting further instructions, the message from the police is straightforward: the September 18 date contained in the circulating notice should not be treated as an official training date.
Any subsequent announcement on training dates, venues, reporting requirements or other stages of the recruitment exercise should be verified through authorised police and recruitment channels.
The development also highlights the importance of vigilance as the police embark on one of their largest recruitment exercises in recent years.
With 50,000 new constables expected to strengthen the Force’s manpower, accurate communication will remain crucial to ensuring that genuine applicants are not confused, exploited or wrongly excluded from the process.
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The Nigeria Police Force has therefore maintained that candidates should wait for authenticated instructions before travelling, purchasing items or making other preparations connected with the training exercise.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
