Okpebholo Urges Edo Youths to Seize Police Recruitment Opportunity

By De-Patriot

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has assured officials of the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission of his administration’s support for the ongoing police recruitment screening exercise in the state, urging Edo youths to take advantage of the opportunity to join the force.

The governor gave the assurance on Tuesday when he received a delegation from the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, and the Police Service Commission (PSC) on a courtesy visit at the Government House in Benin City.

According to a statement signed by Dr. Patrick Akhere Ebojele, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Edo State, the visit was part of engagements with the state government to facilitate the ongoing nationwide police recruitment screening exercise.
The delegation was led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) John Paul Echeta from the Force Headquarters and Barrister Akoho from the Police Service Commission.

Also present at the meeting were the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Musa Ikhilor, Esq., and other top government officials.

Speaking during the meeting, Governor Okpebholo assured the delegation that the Edo State Government would intensify public awareness through various media platforms to ensure that qualified applicants from the state participate in the ongoing screening exercise.

According to him, the low turnout recorded so far may be due to inadequate awareness among applicants.
“Let me assure you that we will create awareness starting from now. We will use our media platforms to let the people know that you are around. Many of them may not even be aware that the exercise is ongoing,” the governor said.
He recalled that a similar situation occurred during a previous military recruitment exercise in the state when many youths missed the opportunity due to lack of adequate information.

Governor Okpebholo expressed confidence that with proper sensitisation, more Edo youths would participate in the exercise, especially considering the six-week duration of the screening process.
“Six weeks is enough for us to get people to participate. Once awareness is created, the turnout will definitely improve,” he added.

The governor also appealed to the recruitment team to consider interested applicants who may not have been able to complete the online registration process, particularly those in rural communities where internet access is limited.

“There might be people who are interested but did not register online, especially those in villages where there is no internet. When awareness is created now, they will come out. You may need to see whether such people can still be examined,” he said.

Governor Okpebholo further commended the Federal Government for increasing the number of recruits into the Nigeria Police Force from 30,000 to 50,000, describing the move as a positive step toward strengthening security across the country.

He stressed the importance of effective policing in protecting communities, noting that local participation in policing helps improve security because those recruited understand the terrain and the people better.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, DCP John Paul Echeta, said the police team would remain in Edo State for six weeks to screen applicants as part of the ongoing nationwide recruitment exercise being conducted jointly with the Police Service Commission.

He, however, expressed concern over the low turnout of applicants in the state and appealed to the government and the media to encourage eligible candidates to participate in the exercise.

In a related development, Governor Okpebholo also received the leadership of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), Edo State Hospital Management Chapter, led by its Chairman, Dr. Dave Ekpefan, who commended the governor for his efforts in revitalising secondary and primary healthcare facilities across the state.