The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has pledged to improve how the Nigeria Police Force engages and protects people with disabilities, including during elections.

Disu made the commitment on 2 September after receiving a delegation from TAF Africa, the Nigerian Women Trust Fund and the Nigeria Association of the Blind at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

The meeting focused on a gap that can have direct consequences for people with disabilities: whether security arrangements allow them to report crimes, seek protection and participate in elections without discrimination or humiliation.

The IGP said the visit was an “eye-opener” and promised to train and retrain police officers on how to engage people with disabilities effectively and with dignity.

He also pledged that people with disabilities would be considered in policing arrangements for the next general election. He said the Force would put measures in place to allow them to vote freely, without intimidation or humiliation.

What prompted the meeting?

TAF Africa founder and chief executive Dr Jake Epelle led the delegation. It also included NWTF chief executive Brenda Anyanwu, TAF Africa executive director Mayowa Aderibigbe and Nigeria Association of the Blind chairman Agaba Jacob.

Dr Epelle called on the police to develop what he described as a “smart security architecture” that deliberately includes people with disabilities.

He also asked Disu to support and open an Inclusive Security Summit, which TAF Africa says will receive funding from the European Union.

The proposal is significant because TAF Africa has previously worked with security agencies on disability-inclusive election security.

The organisation says it trained senior officers from the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on inclusive election security under the EU-supported Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria programme.

This means the latest meeting is not the first attempt to bring disability concerns into Nigeria’s election-security planning. The question now is whether previous training and commitments will translate into consistent practice at police stations and polling locations.

Also Read: Police Warn Recruits Over Fake 18 September 2026 Training Notice 

Why disability-inclusive policing matters

For many people, police protection starts with being able to communicate with an officer, report an offence and receive an appropriate response.

People with disabilities can face additional barriers when those systems are not designed with different communication and accessibility needs in mind.

The Nigeria Police Act 2020 already provides a legal basis for a more citizen-focused approach. The Act lists accountability, transparency, protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms among the principles guiding the police. It also calls for fairness, justice and equity, responsiveness to public needs and relevant training for police personnel.

The issue therefore goes beyond a new promise by the IGP. The challenge is implementation.

A police station that lacks accessible facilities, an officer who cannot communicate effectively with a person with a hearing impairment, or a reporting process that excludes someone with a visual or other disability can undermine access to justice even when the law provides equal protection.

PWDs seek a greater role in policing

Jacob called for greater involvement of people with disabilities in policing, particularly in intelligence-related roles.

He also urged stronger protection for people with disabilities, whom the delegation described as particularly vulnerable to crime, including sexual offences.

The delegation called for disability-focused policing and a structured framework for police engagement with disability communities.

The proposal would shift the conversation from treating people with disabilities only as potential victims to also recognising them as contributors to public safety and intelligence.

That could include structured consultation with disability organisations, specialised training for officers and clearer procedures for handling complaints involving people with disabilities.

However, the police have not yet published details of such a framework or set out how many officers would be trained, when the training would begin or how its effectiveness would be measured.

Women and disability inclusion

The meeting also brought gender into the discussion.

Mrs Brenda Anyanwu of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund called for strategic cooperation between the Force Gender Unit and her organisation to strengthen gender inclusion within the police.

That could become particularly important where gender and disability overlap, especially in cases involving women and girls with disabilities who may face multiple barriers when seeking help or reporting abuse.

No specific programme, budget or implementation timetable emerged from the meeting.

Elections provide an immediate test

The police’s commitment will face an important test in future elections.

Ahead of the 15 August 2026 Osun governorship election, the Force deployed senior officers and thousands of personnel as part of a wider security operation. The police said its arrangements were intended to protect voters, electoral officials, materials, observers and journalists.

The Force also said officers had been instructed to act professionally, impartially and in accordance with human rights during the poll.

TAF Africa has separately continued to focus on disability inclusion around the Osun election. Its work has included efforts to improve participation by people with disabilities and engagement with security stakeholders.

But a claim that an election was generally secure does not, by itself, establish that voters with disabilities experienced equal access or treatment.

That distinction matters. Measuring inclusive security requires evidence from the people affected, including data on access, complaints, incidents and the response of security personnel.

What happens next?

The IGP’s pledge creates an opportunity to turn a broad commitment into measurable changes.

The police could publish an accessibility and inclusion framework, identify officers responsible for disability engagement, introduce compulsory training and establish a system for recording complaints involving people with disabilities.

The proposed Inclusive Security Summit could also provide a platform for police officers, disability organisations, election authorities and civil society groups to agree on practical standards.

For people with disabilities, the most important measure will not be the number of meetings held.

It will be whether they can approach the police, report crimes, receive protection and vote without facing barriers or degrading treatment.

The latest commitment therefore marks a potentially important step, but implementation will determine whether it becomes a lasting change in Nigerian policing.

The Nigeria Police Force has warned prospective Police Constable recruits against relying on a social media notice claiming that they must report for training on 18 September 2026.

The Force said the notice circulating online did not come from the police and urged applicants to disregard it.

The warning matters because prospective recruits could make unnecessary travel arrangements or fall victim to fraud if they act on unofficial recruitment information.

What the police have said

The Nigeria Police Force said it had become aware of a publication circulating on social media which purportedly directed successful Police Constable recruits to report for training on 18 September.

The Force said the publication was not an official communication and should not be treated as confirmation of a training date.

It advised prospective trainees to obtain recruitment updates through their individual recruitment portals and the Force’s official communication channels.

The police also urged members of the public not to circulate unverified information that could mislead applicants.

Why the warning matters

Police recruitment exercises attract large numbers of applicants, making official information about screening, selection and training dates particularly important.

A false reporting date could leave applicants travelling unnecessarily, spending money on transport and accommodation, or presenting themselves at training locations without being expected.

There is also a wider risk of fraud. Fake recruitment notices can be used to demand money from applicants in exchange for supposed training slots, documentation or preferential treatment.

The latest police statement, however, does not provide evidence that anyone has been defrauded in connection with the circulating notice.

Also Read: Customs CG Inspects Kano Training College as 3,852 Recruits Prepare for Training 

How applicants can protect themselves

Applicants should verify any recruitment instruction before acting on it, particularly where a message comes from WhatsApp, Facebook, X or other unofficial platforms.

The police have specifically directed prospective trainees to check their recruitment portals and official NPF communication channels rather than relying on forwarded messages.

Applicants should also be cautious about anyone asking for payment in return for recruitment or training opportunities.

What happens next?

The key issue for prospective recruits is when the police will issue an authentic training schedule.

Until the Force publishes or communicates a confirmed date through its recognised channels, applicants should not treat the 18 September date as genuine.

The development also places responsibility on the police to communicate recruitment decisions and training arrangements clearly and promptly, especially where false information is already circulating.

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, has inspected the Customs Training College, Goron Dutse, Kano, as the Service prepares its facilities for the training of newly recruited personnel.

Adeniyi carried out the inspection on Saturday, 29 August 2026, focusing on accommodation, ongoing projects, logistics and other facilities needed for the Customs Basic Training Programme.

The visit comes weeks after the Service released the final list of 3,852 successful candidates from 573,680 applications for its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise.

The selected recruits include 1,275 people for the Superintendent Cadre, 367 for the Inspectorate Cadre and 2,210 for the Customs Assistant Cadre. The selection rate was about 0.67%, or roughly one successful applicant for every 148 people who applied.

Why the Kano inspection matters

The inspection is significant because the quality of training will affect how the new recruits perform once they enter operational roles.

Customs officers are responsible for functions that include revenue collection, preventing and suppressing smuggling, and supporting the management of Nigeria’s borders. The Service therefore needs adequate training facilities if it is to translate recruitment into improved capacity.

The Customs recruitment portal lists revenue collection and the prevention and suppression of smuggling among the Service’s core functions.

Adeniyi said the Service would provide the facilities, logistics and environment needed for effective training.

“During the visit, Adeniyi reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to providing the necessary facilities, logistics, and conducive environment required for the effective training and capacity development of the new recruits.”

He also stressed the need for the college to have the capacity to deliver professional basic training.

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What the CGC found

The Customs boss was received by the Zonal Coordinator, Zone B, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs Nsikan Umoh; Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit Zone B, Aminu Sule; and the Commandant of the Customs Training College, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Umar Atiku.

Other senior officers and heads of units also attended the inspection.

Atiku briefed the CGC on activities at the college, ongoing developments and preparations for the recruits.

Adeniyi then toured facilities across the institution to assess their readiness.

The Service has previously identified infrastructure development as part of its wider effort to strengthen training and human-resource capacity.

A Customs publication reported in March 2026 that additional hostel blocks were under construction at the Goron Dutse college. It also said the college had upgraded its gate and perimeter fencing and carried out environmental improvements.

That means the latest inspection is not taking place on a blank slate. It provides an opportunity to establish whether those projects and other preparations are sufficient for the incoming trainees.

Recruitment process took longer than planned

The recruits are entering the Service after a recruitment process that began in December 2024.

The NCS initially declared 3,927 vacancies and received more than 573,000 applications. By September 2025, 286,697 candidates had progressed to the computer-based test stage.

The final number selected was later reduced to 3,852.

Adeniyi acknowledged the prolonged recruitment timeline when the final list was released in August. He attributed the delay to the unusually large number of applications, extensive verification and administrative pressures within the Service.

The Service has since promised to change how it recruits.

Adeniyi announced that recruitment would become an annual exercise, with the 2026 recruitment expected to open later in the year.

That commitment could reduce the long waits experienced by applicants in future exercises, but its success will depend on whether Customs can complete each cycle within the promised timeframe.

Training is the next test

For the 3,852 successful candidates, the recruitment announcement was not the end of the process.

As of 1 September, the Service had invited the successful candidates for physical screening and documentation at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

The move to prepare the Kano college therefore signals the transition from recruitment and verification towards the training phase.

The immediate question for the Service is whether its training institutions have enough accommodation, equipment, instructors and other resources to absorb the new intake without compromising training standards.

There is also a public-interest issue around transparency.

With more than half a million people competing for fewer than 4,000 places, the credibility of the recruitment process and the quality of the subsequent training will matter to both successful candidates and those who were unsuccessful.

The Kano inspection suggests that Customs is now turning its attention to the practical challenge: making sure the people it has recruited are properly prepared before they take up their responsibilities.

The next stage will be the completion of screening and documentation, followed by the formal training programme for the successful recruits.