Human rights activist and constitutional lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take immediate action to salvage the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), alleging that the institution has sunk into a state of systemic decay, rampant abuse, and widespread misuse under the leadership of the current Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
In an open letter addressed to the President, Adeyanju accused the police leadership of weaponizing the Force against Nigerian citizens, describing how it has been turned into a tool for personal vendettas, political repression, and the silencing of dissent. He said the civic space has significantly shrunk under Egbetokun’s watch, with peaceful protests and lawful expressions of opinion now routinely met with hostility, harassment, or unlawful detention.
According to Adeyanju, the integrity of the Nigeria Police Force is under serious threat, as its conduct continues to erode public trust. He lamented that the Force is no longer serving the people but is instead being used as a mechanism for oppression, fueled by nepotism, favoritism, and a disturbing disregard for professionalism and constitutional values.
He also raised deep concerns about the deteriorating welfare of police officers, describing their working conditions as inhumane and demoralizing. Officers, he noted, operate without proper housing, fair remuneration, or access to modern equipment, which has led to widespread frustration among the rank and file, culminating in the recent police protests across the country.
The activist emphasized that morale within the Force is at an all-time low, yet officers are still expected to perform under impossible conditions. He said a police institution stripped of dignity cannot be expected to uphold the law with dignity. Adeyanju argued that the lack of internal reforms, combined with ethnic bias in promotions and leadership appointments, has completely crippled the Force’s professionalism and accountability.
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Calling on President Tinubu to take urgent steps, Adeyanju demanded the immediate dismissal of Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. He urged the President to appoint a new police chief who is committed to restoring the rule of law, upholding human rights, and rebuilding the public’s confidence in the police.
Adeyanju stated, “With utmost respect for the office you occupy, I write to draw your attention to the deepening rot within the Nigeria Police Force. If left unchecked, this decay threatens to completely erode public trust and destroy the very institution meant to protect all Nigerians.”
This development follows the detention of activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, who had earlier honoured a police invitation at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. Sowore was reportedly detained by the IGP Monitoring Unit on the direct orders of IGP Egbetokun, a move many civil rights advocates have described as illegal and vindictive.
Human rights lawyer Marshal Abubakar, who accompanied Sowore to the police headquarters, also accused Egbetokun of abusing his office. He claimed that Sowore’s detention was based on baseless petitions originating from the same Nigeria Police Force now investigating him.
Abubakar told reporters that the case reflects a broader pattern of impunity within the Force, where officers are emboldened to act without regard for due process or constitutional safeguards. He called on civil society and the international community to take note of the growing threat to human rights and civic freedoms in Nigeria under the current police leadership.
