No fewer than 34,000 applicants are competing for just 1,000 police recruitment slots in Benue State.
The disclosure was made by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Musa Abdulraham, during a lecture at the Police Officers’ Mess in Makurdi.
The event formed part of the activities marking the 2026 Police Week.
Speaking on “Prevention of Electoral Violence and Ballot Box Snatching”, Abdulraham linked youth unemployment to rising cases of electoral violence.
He noted that thousands of jobless youths are often exploited by politicians to disrupt elections.
He said the overwhelming number of applicants underscores the scarcity of employment opportunities in the state.
“For example, in the ongoing police recruitment, 34,000 applied in Benue State for only 1,000 vacancies. If we give the 1,000 jobs, what happens to the 33,000 left?” he said.
Abdulraham warned that electoral violence remains a major threat to Nigeria’s democracy, tracing its roots to the 1964 and 1965 elections.
According to him, “Violence can only mar elections, not make them. Once it starts, it can become uncontrollable and devastating.”
He urged all levels of government to prioritise job creation, stressing that engaging youths productively would reduce their vulnerability to political manipulation and strengthen the electoral process.
