The Police Service Commission (PSC) has called for greater gender sensitivity and equity within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), as part of ongoing efforts to institutionalize inclusive and rights-based policing in the country.

Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu (retd), mni, made this known on Tuesday while receiving the delegation of the Gender Policy Team of the NPF, led by Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Aishatu Abubakar Baju.

“Equity should be the bedrock of an all-inclusive policing model,” Argungu stated, stressing that recruitment, promotion, and task allocation within the Police must reflect fairness, balance, and a recognition of diverse human realities.

Argungu commended the Nigeria Police Force for what he described as a “bold step towards institutional transformation.”

He pledged the Commission’s full support to aligning its recruitment and disciplinary frameworks with the revised gender policy, saying: “The diversity and disparity of human nature must be acknowledged in every facet of policing. A just and professional police institution must reflect the society it serves.”

He further noted that inclusive policing is critical to building trust with communities and reaffirmed the PSC’s commitment to ensuring that gender equity becomes embedded in Nigeria’s security architecture.

In her presentation, AIG Aishatu Abubakar Baju explained that the revised NPF Gender Policy aims to ensure the Police as an institution—and its personnel—better appreciate the heterogeneous needs of Nigeria’s diverse population.

“The Police are not mandated to protect only the visible or privileged,” Baju noted. “They must represent and safeguard all segments of society, including women and other vulnerable groups.”

She described the updated policy as a framework to eliminate gender-based discriminatory laws and practices and enhance the Force’s capacity to respond to gender-based violence—both within society and inside the Police itself.

The policy also addresses career progression disparities, particularly those affecting women during maternity and caregiving phases, which she described as “a form of national service that must no longer be career-penalizing.”

In his remarks, Justice Paul Adamu Galumje (rtd), JSC, Honourable Commissioner representing the Judiciary in the Commission, said:

He said, “Justice is not served à la carte. Gender issues must be guided by the principles of natural justice and equality.”

Justice Galumje affirmed that no existing laws in Nigeria explicitly discriminate against women, but societal practices and biases often do.

He urged Nigerians to stop subconsciously discriminating against themselves, particularly in how they view gender roles.

Also speaking at the meeting, DIG Taiwo Lakanu (rtd), fdc, Commissioner representing the Police in the PSC, commended AIG Baju for “a job well begun,” pledging the Commission’s full backing for the NPF’s gender equity reforms.

The renewed push for a gender-balanced police system reflects a wider national and global shift toward inclusive law enforcement. Analysts say that institutionalizing gender equity improves public trust, fosters internal accountability, and enhances the Force’s ability to respond to complex security issues, especially sexual and domestic violence.

The PSC’s endorsement of the NPF’s gender policy marks an important step toward integrating human rights, equity, and professional development across all ranks and units of the Police.