The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has reportedly asked the Police Service Commission (PSC) to grant special promotion to eight police officers attached to politicians.
The requests were contained in two separate letters reportedly seen by TheCable.
The development has raised legal and ethical concerns, as the Police Service Commission Act vests the power of promotion in the commission.
In one of the letters, Gbajabiamila reportedly requested a special promotion for “officers attached to the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
One of the letters, dated February 20, 2026, contained the names of three officers, while the other contained five names.
The request sought the promotion of one officer from Assistant Commissioner of Police to Deputy Commissioner of Police.
It also sought the promotion of two others from Chief Superintendent of Police to Assistant Commissioner of Police.
Gbajabiamila wrote, “By this letter, therefore, I am recommending the promotion of the officers to their next ranks in recognition of their exemplary leadership qualities, gallantry, teamwork and general performance of their duties in their respective offices.
“As I anticipate your expeditious consideration of the request, kindly accept the assurances of my highest esteem, please.”
PSC Act Cited
The request has raised concerns because Section 6 of the Police Service Commission Act gives the commission responsibility for appointments and promotions in the Nigeria Police Force, except the office of the Inspector-General of Police.
The Act states, “The Commission shall be responsible for the appointment and promotion of persons (other than the office of the Inspector-General of Police) in the Nigeria Police Force.
“The Commission shall not be subject to the direction, control or supervision of any other authority or person in performance of its functions other than as is prescribed in this Act.”
Although the Act allows the President to issue directives to the PSC, such directives are limited to general policy matters.
“Subject to the provisions of this Act, the President may give the Commission directives of a general nature or relating generally to matters of policy with regard to the performance by the Commission of its functions, and it shall be the duty of the Commission to comply with the directives,” Section 19 of the Act reads.
Concerns Over Pattern
The report noted that the push for special promotion was not new under the Tinubu administration.
In January 2025, the President’s aide-de-camp, Nurudeen Yusuf, was promoted from lieutenant colonel to colonel.
He was reportedly promoted again in December to brigadier-general through “special presidential promotion,” before the intervention of two former chiefs of army staff.
A presidential source quoted in the report alleged that the development was becoming a pattern.
The source said, “The president’s men are using their proximity to Baba to get away with desecrating the military and police hierarchy, and if care is not taken, this may make a mess of the order within the armed forces.
“In the past, I used to vouch that Baba knows nothing about this, but with the drama that went on with his ADC, it became clear that he might just be looking away.
“You will expect that Tunji Disu, who promised his men improved welfare, will not approve this special promotion, but watch him dance to the tunes and pressure of our people. Once Baba has spoken, who is Disu to drag his feet?”
A police officer familiar with the matter also warned that the special promotion request could affect morale among officers fighting insecurity.
The source said, “In Yobe, 17 police officers were killed; nobody from the villa called their families or went to pay condolence visits.
“In fact, the other police officers in that squad went on to fight Boko Haram the next day. Those ones don’t get special promotions; they don’t even get presidential handshakes, but the ones who salute the president, drive in AC vehicles, and eat presidential food get presidential promotions for enjoyment.
“If Tinubu continues like this, morale will be low, and men on the frontlines will have nothing to fight for again.”
The officer said promotions in the security services were increasingly becoming influenced by godfathers rather than merit and service to the country.