Ex-IGP Egbetokun: Why some groups are after me

Former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has revealed that sustained media attacks against his leadership stem from efforts by entrenched interests resisting reforms he introduced to sanitise the Nigeria Police Force.In an account of his tenure, the former IGP said one of the earliest challenges he confronted upon assuming office was the widespread falsification of service records within the Force.

According to him, prior to his appointment, some officers allegedly paid money to manipulate their official records in order to extend their years of service beyond the statutory limit.

He explained that his administration halted the practice and launched investigations that uncovered those involved in the scheme.

“I didn’t just stop the practice. We fished out the culprits and forwarded their names to the Police Service Commission for proper disciplinary action, and they were all removed from the system,” he said.

The ex-IGP also disclosed that another controversial issue involved a group of cadet force entrants who sought to remain in service beyond their statutory period, relying on a judgement of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

However, Egbetokun said further investigation revealed that the court decision was based on a signal purportedly originating from the Office of the Force Secretary and relayed through the Sokoto State Command.

Disclosing that the signal was later discovered to be fake, Egbetokun said, “Our investigation confirmed that no such signal emanated from the Office of the Force Secretary. Even the version said to have been relayed by the Sokoto Command and tendered in court by the group was also found to be fabricated”.

The findings, he said, were forwarded to the Police Service Commission, which subsequently took disciplinary action against officers involved.

Egbetokun noted that his insistence on internal discipline set his leadership apart from previous administrations.

“We cannot effectively enforce the law if we fail to enforce discipline within our own ranks,” he stated.

The police boss alleged that some wealthy individuals affected by the disciplinary measures had been pooling resources to sponsor media campaigns aimed at discrediting him.

According to him, several fabricated allegations and misleading reports were circulated to undermine his leadership.

He further disclosed that another group unhappy with amendments to the Nigeria Police Act, which enabled him to remain in office for a four-year tenure, also joined the campaign against him.

The group, he claimed, included some ambitious senior officers who believed they had a chance of becoming Inspector-General of Police if his reputation was damaged.

Egbetokun also accused elements linked to the “Take It Back Movement” of sustaining negative narratives against him and the police.

The movement, associated with organisers of the End Bad Governance Protest, allegedly sought to destabilise the country through mass demonstrations.

According to the former IGP, the group planned to trigger widespread destruction across the country to force a change of government.

“They boasted that the #EndSARS protest would be child’s play and even referenced the 2024 mass protests in Kenya,” he said.

Egbetokun maintained that the police acted lawfully to prevent violence and protect national stability during the protests.

“We did everything lawful to stop them on the two major occasions and subsequent attempts. Considering the country’s socioeconomic fragility at the time, we believed it was in the overall interest of Nigerians,” he added.

Despite the controversies and media attacks, the IGP said he remained focused on advancing policing reforms throughout his tenure.

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“In spite of the media wars, I remained focused. I am proud of what we achieved to advance policing in Nigeria in the interest of the silent majority of Nigerians,” he said.