The Federal Government has approved automatic promotion for six civil servants abducted while travelling for their 2025 promotion examinations.
The affected officers, staff of the ministry of defence, were kidnapped in Kogi State while travelling from Lagos to Abuja.
Announcing the decision in Abuja, Tunji Olaopa, chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), described the incident as deeply unfortunate.
He said the promotion was granted on compassionate grounds, following the trauma experienced by the victims.
According to him, the decision was reached in consultation with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and other stakeholders.
“In consideration of the trauma suffered, the commission has approved automatic promotion for the six officers to their next grade level,” Olaopa said.
He added that the commission sympathised with the officers and acknowledged the emotional and psychological impact of the incident.
Olaopa revealed that the officers were among the first to participate in the transition from traditional pen-and-paper examinations to computer-based testing (CBT).
He described them as test cases in the reform process, noting that the CBT system recorded near 100 percent success.
According to him, the incident highlights the urgent need to reform promotion examinations, particularly by reducing long-distance travel risks.
“The CBT system improves transparency, reduces cost and manpower, and ensures faster and more accurate results,” he said.
The commission is now working to decentralise promotion examinations, allowing civil servants to take tests closer to their duty stations.
This, Olaopa said, would minimise exposure to security risks and improve efficiency.
He also pointed to broader challenges within the civil service, including declining professional capacity, workforce imbalances, and the effects of prolonged recruitment embargoes.
Ongoing reforms including human resource audits and performance evaluation improvements aim to address these systemic issues.
Olaopa urged the newly promoted officers to uphold professionalism and support ongoing reforms in the public service.
