34,000 battle for 1,000 police slots in Benue

At least 34,000 applicants have applied for just 1,000 positions in the police recruitment exercise in Benue State, officials have disclosed.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Musa Abdulraham, revealed this on Thursday during a lecture held at the Police Officers’ Mess in Makurdi as part of activities for the 2026 Police Week.

Delivering a paper titled: “Prevention of Electoral Violence and Ballot Box Snatching,” he linked the growing participation of youths in election violence to unemployment and harsh economic realities.

He noted that the massive turnout of applicants highlights the scarcity of jobs, leaving many young people idle and vulnerable to manipulation by politicians who engage them for violent electoral activities.

“For example, in the ongoing police recruitment, 34,000 applied in Benue State for only 1000 vacancies. If we give the 1000 jobs, what happens to the 33,000 left,” Abdulraham asked.

He warned that electoral violence remains a major threat to Nigeria’s democracy, tracing its roots back to the 1964 regional elections and the political unrest of 1965.

“Violence can only mar elections, not make them. Once it starts, it can become uncontrollable and devastating,” he said.

The police chief further described ballot box snatching and related offences as serious crimes, adding that elections, including the 2023 general polls, have witnessed different degrees of violence.

Abdulraham called on all levels of government to focus on job creation, stressing that engaging youths productively would significantly reduce electoral violence and strengthen the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system.