Restore police mandate, credibility

On Wednesday March 4, 2026, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu swore in Olatunji Rilwan Disu as the 23rd Inspector-General of Police (IGP). Disu was appointed IGP following the exit of former police boss, Kayode Egbetokun. Severally, Disu outlined three priorities – enthronement of professionalism and modernisation; accountability and integrity; and community partnership, stating, “The days of […]

On Wednesday March 4, 2026, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu swore in Olatunji Rilwan Disu as the 23rd Inspector-General of Police (IGP). Disu was appointed IGP following the exit of former police boss, Kayode Egbetokun.

Severally, Disu outlined three priorities – enthronement of professionalism and modernisation; accountability and integrity; and community partnership, stating, “The days of impunity are over. The badge is a symbol of public trust. Anyone who treats it otherwise will face the full consequences of our disciplinary processes.

“This applies at every rank, without exception, including those closest to me. I will not ask the public to trust a Service that does not first hold itself accountable.

“We will strengthen our internal oversight mechanisms, make our processes more transparent, and mean what we say when we speak of the rule of law.”

He added: “I’m bringing law and order to the table. I have made up my mind to ensure that my officers get to know that we are working for the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the citizens of the country are our bosses.”

We at Daily Trust congratulate the new IGP on his appointment and for the laudable goals he has committed himself to. But we also call his attention to the urgent need to holistically deal with police endemic internal challenges especially corruption, poor funding, inadequate personnel and equipment, and poor training.

This demands going beyond his pronouncements and ensuring a new era of change and professionalism that reflects at checkpoints, police stations, response to emergencies and public order operations. This requires deeper and sustained cultural change that reverses the seeming lack of confidence by Nigerians on police effectiveness in responding to their needs and ending the prevailing complaints of harassment and unlawful detention of citizens.

We also implore the IGP not to fall into the ignominious position which earned his predecessor enlistment in December 2025’s International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria “Book of Infamy” for public officials for violating press freedom, engaging in media repression, and attacking journalists. He should curb the excesses of officers who repeatedly harass, intimidate, and assault journalists across the country.

Most importantly, he should lead the police to retake its constitutional role of maintaining internal law and order which it has largely ceded to the military. The reality is that while the NPF remains constitutionally mandated to ensure internal security, its institutional failures has forced the military to function as the first, rather than last line of defence in the fights against Nigeria’s overwhelming security challenges. In fact, because of its inability to exercise this mandate, the military is now deployed in all 36 states and FCT for internal security duties.

In addition, one legacy he should reverse is the reactive policing posture where arrests are often announced after major crimes. There should be visible improvement in intelligence-led policing for faster response times, stronger inter-state coordination and more disruption of criminal networks before attacks occur. The highways should be demonstrably safer while repeat attacks disappear as a sign of operational progress.

He must also drastically fight the deeply entrenched corruption in the system, ranging from the office-based stations, investigations and administrative processes and the numerous checkpoints, traffic stops and patrols. According to UNODC data (from surveys up to 2023, with patterns continuing), police interactions show high rates of bribery requests or payments compared to many other public officials.

According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) data (from surveys up to 2023), police emerges as the notoriously corrupt particularly for petty bribery and extortion of ordinary citizens especially the youth where you have to prove yourself innocent at every point. Generally, police interactions show high rates of bribery requests or payments compared to many other public officials.

The new IGP should also urgently work with other stakeholders towards equipping the police with effective, functional digital crime databases, expanded forensic laboratories and integrated command-and-control communication systems.

There should also be a new focus on deployment to communities to address policing gaps in underserved communities. It will also help if he can immediately inaugurate community policing committees at local government and state levels with emphasis on renovation of police stations and quarters nationwide as a way of creating better conducive working environments and strengthen operational effectiveness.

As the nation prepares for the 2027 elections, he should avoid all perceptions of partisanship as this could negatively affect institutional integrity while eroding credibility. There must be reductions in crime, kidnapping and improvements in response times accompanied by rising and public confidence in the police.

The new IGP should steer the police back to fulfilment of its constitutional role and as enunciated in the Nigeria Police Act 2020 as the primary law enforcement agency in firm grip of detecting crime, maintaining law and order and protecting lives and property. Nigerians expect guaranteed internal security through credible law enforcement, crime prevention/control, safeguarding of public order, lives, and property.