Police Recruitment Controversy: 22-Year-Old Applicant Disqualified as “Overaged” Sparks Outrage

A fresh controversy has erupted around the Nigeria Police recruitment process after a 22-year-old applicant was disqualified for being “overaged” — a decision that contradicts official guidelines.

Babatunde Fawaz, who applied for the ongoing Nigeria Police Force recruitment, said he was stunned to receive a disqualification notice despite being well within the approved age limit.

Records show that the Ogun State indigene, from Abeokuta North Local Government Area, was born in June 2003 — making him about 21 years and 10 months at the time of screening.

Under the recruitment rules set by the Nigeria Police Force, the maximum age for entry-level applicants is 25, placing Babatunde several years below the cut-off.

Yet, after successfully completing both physical and credential screening stages, his status was later changed to “disqualified” when the list for the examination phase was released.

A message sent via the recruitment portal cited “OVERAGED” as the reason for his disqualification, raising immediate concerns about the credibility of the screening system.

“I am just 22. I don’t know why they said I’m over aged. It’s traumatic. I’m not happy with what has happened. How can I be overaged at 22 when the maximum age is 25?” Babatunde said.

The development has triggered questions about possible human error or technical glitches in the recruitment portal managed by the Police Service Commission.

Attempts to get an official response from Anthony Placid, a Deputy Commissioner of Police linked to the exercise, were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered.

The recruitment screening took place nationwide between March 9 and April 18, 2026, while candidates who passed are expected to sit for a written examination scheduled for April 28 to 30.

As concerns grow, the incident is adding pressure on authorities to review the process and address potential flaws that could unfairly disqualify eligible applicants.