The Nigerian Police Academy's 2025 admission intake has been embroiled in controversy following revelations by SaharaReporters that Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun allegedly gifted 60 admission slots to influential lawmakers, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his deputy, Barau Jibrin. This act reportedly bypassed merit-based selection processes and internal recruitment procedures, raising serious concerns among sources within the academy.

According to admission documents obtained by SaharaReporters, dozens of names "sponsored by the Senate President, his deputy, and other top lawmakers" were inserted into the official admission records. The list details specific allocations, with Senate President Akpabio personally nominating seven candidates. Six of these nominees are from Akwa Ibom, his home state, and one is from Nasarawa. The document explicitly states: "These names are sponsored by the Senate President." Akpabio’s nominated candidates include Udosen Kponoabasi Esitima, Akpan Lovina Bassey, Asanwana Kingsley John, Peter Wisdom Oscar, Esong Christopher Richard, Mkpang Happiness Eyoita, and Tanko Aminu Madaki.

Similarly, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin reportedly received five slots, all of which were allocated to candidates from Kano State. His nominees are Tijjani Usman Dauda, Sheshe Suleiman Rabiu, Hussaini Ismail, Ahmad Mubarak, and Asuni Abdulfatah Abdulshakur. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs was also allocated four candidates, all from Jigawa State: AbdulRahman Abbas, Muhammad Aliyu Babandede, Garba Haliru Faisal, and Hamza Ismail Abdullahi.

The remaining admission slots were distributed among a host of other senators and senior officials. These sponsors include Sen. Akintunde Yunus Abiodun, Sen. Abbas Aminu Iya, Sen. Amos K. Yohanna, Sen. Babangida Hussaini Uba, Sen. Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, Senator Rufai Hanga, the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, Senator Williams Eteng Jonah, Senator Diket Satso Plang, Senator Samaila Dahuwa Kaila, Senator AbdulFatai Buhari, Senator Abba Moro, Senator Ipinsagba Olajide Emmanuel, Senator Aniekan Bassey, Senator Kamorudeen Olalere Oyewumi, Senator Ali Sharafadeen Abiodun, and Senator Emmanuel Memga Udende. Their collective nominees include a diverse group of individuals such as Oladokun Gold Ayomide, Oparinde Rofiat Olamide, Ayanwale Aishat Abioye, Adigun Mustopha Atanda, Umoru Mohammed Danlami, Bitrus Dogara, Kabir Abdulkadir Nayakini, Ogbui Joseph Ikechukwu, Ogbuchi Chidera Johnpaul, Abdullahi Abdussamad Muhammad, Suleiman Hafusat Buyon, Ibrahim Yasmin Mohammed, Gubio Ibrahim Umar, Muhammad Ibrahim Ahmad, Asuquo Etim Emmanuel, Muhammad Kalamullah Salisu, Aliyu Salisu Wasai, Edeze Driscole Chinweuba, Ishaq Mansur Muhammed, Iwuozor Precious Udochukwu, Abubakar Shuaibu, Abdulrahman Yunkum, Chijioke Divine Ikechukwu, Emeruwa Chiemezue Anthony, Aguigwe Peculiar Chinenye, Moses Susana, Olowu Lateef Adewale, Isah Ibrahim, Khalid Jafar, Nasamu Michelle Olere, Obi-Iheanacho Favour Adaobi, Alex-Dumbo Angelica Tamarauperebidenyefa, Yakubu Micheal, Obeten Peace Charles, Nangol Bright Nehemiah, Gagarau Yusuf Bala, Omolola Anjolaoluwa Michael, Adegbe Stella, Boluwatife Emmanuel Otitoju, Johnson Tillery Derrick, Ayedun Hammed Akorede, Opeyemieniola Sefrinmi, Alade Adeleye Mayowa, and Terkimbi Tersugh Barnabas.

Sources within the police academy expressed strong lamentation over IGP Egbetokun's actions, stating that he had "bastardised the admission process" by accommodating candidates from top lawmakers and cronies, allegedly to "perpetuate his illegal stay in office." This latest controversy adds to a growing list of allegations against IGP Egbetokun's leadership.

Previous reports by SaharaReporters in August highlighted widespread controversy within the Nigeria Police Force regarding preferential promotions. This included the promotion of Bukola Kuti, who was allegedly romantically involved with Egbetokun. Police sources at the time decried rising favoritism under Egbetokun's leadership, noting that the Police Service Commission (PSC) was reluctant to publish the full list of promotions due to allegations of nepotism, with 30 of 38 promoted officers reportedly being of Yoruba descent. The PSC had also approved the special promotion of 37 senior police officers handpicked by Egbetokun, but internal uproar had stalled the public announcement. These incidents collectively suggest that the IGP’s office, once seen as a bastion of integrity, has allegedly become a "theatre of petty rivalries, manipulation, and moral collapse," sparking ethnic and institutional tensions within the force.