Got that forwarded WhatsApp message telling you to report for police training on 18th September with white canvas shoes and your bedding? Yeah, don't pack your bags just yet.

The Nigeria Police Force has come out to say it's completely fake.

In a disclaimer posted on its official X handle on Wednesday, the Force warned prospective constables to ignore the viral publication circulating on social media.

“The Nigeria Police Force has observed a publication circulating on social media purportedly emanating from the Force, directing prospective Police Constable recruits to report for training on 18th September 2026. The said publication is not an official communication of the Force and should be disregarded,” the statement read.

So, What Was The Fake Letter?

According to CBINews.tv, the forged document — dated 1st September 2026 — was made to look like official police stationery. It instructed recruits to report to various state headquarters for training and even listed items to bring along, including white canvas shoes and bedding.

The Police have now stamped images of the document circulating online with a big, bold “FAKE” and urged the public to stop sharing it.

Their advice? If you're one of the hopefuls, stick to only two sources: your recruitment portal and the official NPF communication channels. If it's not there, it's not real.

Why This Matters — The Bigger Picture

This disclaimer is coming at a very sensitive time. Nigeria is in the middle of its biggest police recruitment drive in years.

After declaring a nationwide security emergency on 26th November 2025, President Bola Tinubu ordered the recruitment of 50,000 new constables to boost manpower. The plan was to recruit an additional 20,000 on top of an existing 30,000 target, bringing the total to 50,000.

For context, Nigeria has long battled a worrying police-to-citizen ratio. With an estimated 370,000 officers policing over 230 million people, that's roughly 1 officer to 620 citizens — far below the UN recommended ratio of 1 to 450. Previous exercises only added 10,000 constables at a time in 2020 and 2022, so this 50,000 batch is massive.

The Police Service Commission (PSC), which is handling the exercise with the NPF, opened the portal on 15th December 2025 and later extended it to 8th February 2026 to allow more applicants.

In July 2026, the list of successful candidates was released, and on 6th August 2026, the PSC formally handed over the 50,000 recruits to the NPF for training at approved police colleges.

That handover is precisely why fraudsters are having a field day. Historically, every large-scale recruitment in Nigeria — from police to immigration and customs — has been trailed by fake call-up letters, cloned portals, and extortion rackets targeting desperate applicants.

The Force says verified training dates will be announced properly, not via a blurry broadcast message.

Bottom line: If you applied, don't panic, don't pay anyone, and don't travel anywhere until you see it on the official portal.

Source: CbinewsTv

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