The Delta State Police Command is facing growing criticism over its controversial enforcement of a purported ban on “indecent dressing,” even as the force has come under fire for its continued failure to implement the state’s anti-open grazing law—three years after it was passed.
A recent post on the Command’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle warned that anyone found guilty of indecent dressing could face a ₦50,000 fine or community service, citing the Delta State Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, 2020. The post, written in Pidgin English, drew ire for its tone and interpretation, stating:
“As you no like wear cloth wey dey cover your body well… VAAP law don ready to punish anybody wey no dress well.”
But the Ministry of Justice, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and several lawmakers have strongly condemned the move, accusing the police of both legal misinterpretation and dangerous selectivity in law enforcement.
Justice Ministry: only courts can decide
Reacting to the development, the Delta State Ministry of Justice, through its Public Relations Officer Mr. Isharo Odafe, made it clear that the term “indecent dressing” does not exist in the VAPP Law. The Law, under Section 29, specifically addresses “indecent exposure”—defined as the intentional public display of private parts—and not general fashion or dress choices.
“No security operative has the power to impose any punishment on any individual without due process of law,” Odafe stated. “The use of the phrase ‘indecent dressing’ instead of the legally defined ‘indecent exposure’ raises concerns about potential human rights violations.”
The Ministry stressed that interpretation and penalties under the law must be handled by competent courts, not by the police acting unilaterally.
NBA warns of abuse, arbitrary arrests
The Human Rights Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, Warri Branch, also condemned the police action in a statement signed by Committee Chairman John-Larry Ojukoko Esq.
“The Delta State VAPP Law refers strictly to indecent exposure—not vague or subjective interpretations of dressing,” the NBA said. “The police do not have the constitutional power to levy fines or assign community service without judicial authority.”
The NBA warned that such misapplications of the law could lead to arbitrary arrests and abuse of citizens, particularly vulnerable populations such as youth and women.
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Meanwhile, open grazing law remains dormant
Amid the uproar over moral policing, critics have pointed out a troubling contradiction: while the police are quick to enforce an ambiguous directive on dressing, they have failed to enforce the state’s anti-open grazing law passed in 2021.
During a stakeholders’ meeting earlier this year, the Delta State House of Assembly expressed frustration at the continued flouting of the law by herdsmen, despite growing reports of attacks, killings, and destruction of farmlands. Lawmakers accused law enforcement of turning a blind eye to one of the most pressing security challenges in the state.
Deputy Speaker Arthur Akpowowo, who chairs the Assembly Committee on Legislative Compliance, lamented that herders still roam freely despite the ban, saying the law must be obeyed “to the letter.”
In a revealing moment months earlier, when the Delta Police were asked why the open grazing law had not been implemented, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Edafe Bright, candidly admitted:
“We have not been given the law. I haven’t even seen it, let alone studied it for implementation.”
This confession has now resurfaced, fueling accusations of selective enforcement and lack of institutional coordination between the Executive, Legislature, and Security Agencies.
Public reactions: misplaced priorities?
For many citizens, the optics are troubling: laws meant to address violent conflict and protect rural communities are left unenforced, while moral crackdowns on dressing spark controversy and fear.
“It shows where their priorities lie,” said a civil rights activist in Warri. “The police say they haven’t seen the anti-grazing law, but are suddenly experts in enforcing fashion codes under VAPP?”
Social commentators and youth groups across Delta have taken to social media to ridicule what they describe as “moral vigilantism,” while rural communities continue to suffer from the fallout of open grazing.
Calls for accountability and coordination
Both the Ministry of Justice and the NBA have called for a coordinated inter-agency approach to law enforcement in the state. They have urged the police to familiarize themselves with all existing laws and to respect the limits of their constitutional powers.
“The police must not act as judge and jury,” said Ojukoko. “We will not stand by and watch a descent into abuse disguised as enforcement.”
Meanwhile, the Office of the Public Defender has opened its doors to receive complaints from any citizen harassed or threatened under the indecent dressing directive.
As tensions rise, Delta’s security agencies are under pressure to reassess their priorities—before the confidence of the public is eroded any further.
