Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun
|Published 5:30 PM ET, Tuesday April 15, 2025|
In a moment captured on camera and now widely circulated across social media, officers of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force (MOPOL) attached to the 1 PMF Squadron in Kaduna were seen accepting cash handouts from a group of Chinese nationals. The optics alone were damning: uniformed officers, who swore to uphold the law and integrity of public service, queuing to receive envelopes of money in what appeared to be a gesture of patronage—or worse, compromise.
The footage triggered a swift response from the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who has summoned the implicated officers, including the team’s Provost, DSP Aliyu Adejembi, to Abuja for questioning. They were reportedly on special duty in Lagos when the incident occurred. A formal wireless communication dated April 15 ordered their appearance at the Force Headquarters the following day. The seriousness with which the IGP is treating this matter is commendable, but the broader issue requires more than disciplinary action against a few officers.
This scandal, unsettling as it is, underscores a larger malaise within the Nigerian Police Force—systemic misconduct, a culture of impunity, and compromised professionalism. It is not the first time security operatives have been accused of fraternizing with foreign or local entities in questionable circumstances. Yet, few incidents provoke real institutional reform.
What makes this particular case even more alarming is the nationality of the benefactors—Chinese nationals, a demographic that already commands significant influence in Nigeria’s extractive and infrastructural sectors. In an era of growing global power dynamics and sensitive geopolitical alignments, the last thing Nigeria needs is an image of its officers appearing to serve foreign private interests rather than the Nigerian people.
The Nigerian public, weary of corruption and impunity, will not be satisfied with mere internal memos and closed-door interrogations. The IGP must set a precedent. Full transparency is essential—not just in the inquiry but in the outcomes. Were these officers acting independently, or is there a broader network of collusion? Were the funds a bribe, a routine “gift,” or compensation for unofficial services?
Beyond investigation, this episode must catalyze a deeper introspection into recruitment standards, ethics training, and enforcement of disciplinary codes within the force. There must be renewed investment in cultivating a police culture grounded in accountability, patriotism, and civic duty.
For too long, the Nigerian Police Force has hovered at the bottom of global trust indexes. If IG Egbetokun is serious about rebuilding the institution’s integrity, this incident must be treated not as an isolated embarrassment—but as a turning point.
The eyes of the nation, and indeed the world, are watching.
Dr. Omoruyi is the publisher of iNewsAfrica, an online news platform dedicated to delivering eyewitness news from Africa to a global audience.
Leave a reply
Email: [email protected]
