Tag: IGP

• …seeks united action after school abductions

Inspector General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun has identified Niger State as the focal point of Nigeria’s escalating security challenges, urging a unified crackdown following the abduction of pupils from St. Mary’s Catholic Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area.

He made the remarks during a sympathy visit to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago over the incident, describing the nation’s security situation as deeply troubling and expressing shock at the boldness and brazenness of criminal gangs. 

He stressed the urgent need for collective action to confront insecurity across the country.

Calling the St. Mary’s abduction “sad and heartbreaking,” the IGP said Niger State remains critical to national stability and requires increased attention. 

He noted that security agencies, particularly the police, are bearing the burden of rescue operations, confirming that 50 abducted children have so far been recovered.

Egbetokun disclosed that additional tactical assets have been deployed to the state, alongside an expansion of intelligence operations to ensure the safe return of the remaining pupils and their teachers.

Governor Bago thanked the IGP and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their prompt response, praising the tactical units for their remarkable efforts. 

He confirmed that more recoveries have been made and expressed confidence that all the abducted children would be safely reunited with their families, saying “no life is worth missing.”

He urged citizens to remain calm, steadfast, and prayerful, warning that Nigeria’s democracy, sovereignty, and national integrity are under threat and must be collectively defended to steer the nation back to prosperity.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has withdrawn the two-count charge filed against Senator Andy Uba and Benjamin Etu.

The IGP had, in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/538/2024, accused Uba and Etu of obtaining N400million under false pretence from an Abuja businessman, George Uboh.

The IGP had alleged that Uba, Etu and Hajiya Fatima (said to be at large), sometimes in 2022, obtained “by false pretence, by making a presentation to Mr George Uboh that they had perfected ways for the appointment of the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to any interested persons who could afford N400 million.”

When the case was called on Thursday, prosecuting lawyer, Aminu Abdullahi told the court that he was willing to withdraw the charge.

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Abdullahi said a notice of discontinuance been filed by the prosecution on the grounds that parties have settled.

He the defendants and the nominal complainant (Uboh) have amicably resolved all the issues in dispute, adding that Uba and Etu have repaid N400m involved in the charge to the nominal complainant.

The prosecuting lawyer the notice of discontinuance was filed pursuant to Section 108(5) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

He urged the court to terminate any further proceedings in the case forthwith.

Lawyer to the defendants, C.F. Odiniru, said he was aware of the prosecution’s notice of withdrawal and was not opposed to it. 

Odiniru urged the court to dismiss the charge rather than striking it out in view of the fact that parties have settled.

He said his request for dismissal of the charge was in line with Section 108(3) of ACJA, 2015.

Ruling, Justice Mohammed Umar, allowed the notice of discontinuance nd proceeded to strike out the charge and discharged Uba and Etu.

The Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, has hailed Lagos State Police Command for building a new multi-purpose hall, calling it a ‘foundation for vision, progress, and excellent service.

Egbetokun commended the command during the foundation laying ceremony of the I-GP Egbetokun Conference Hall at the command headquarters, Ikeja on Thursday.

He highlighted Lagos as a unique security landscape that often served as a model for policing across Nigeria.

According to him, the new hall, which replaces an older facility, will not only function as a conference center but also support various operational needs of the command.

“As we are laying bricks, we are also laying hope and stronger bonds for efficient policing in Nigeria, professionalism, discipline, and excellent service,” he said.

He called on other commissioners across the country to emulate the Lagos State Police Command’s initiative, emphasising the importance of improving infrastructure and service delivery in policing.

The I-G also addressed security preparations for the upcoming Anambra gubernatorial election scheduled for Saturday.

He assured Nigerians that the police were fully prepared to provide security, with senior officers already deployed to supervise all security agencies involved.

Read Also: IGP warns IPOB, ESN against disrupting Anambra election

“Voters in Anambra should come out to cast their vote. A level playing ground will be provided for all candidates.

“The Nigeria police do not have a candidate in this election, the force’s loyalty remains with the Federal Republic of Nigeria, ” he said.

Turning to the upcoming festive period, the I-G stated that preparations for the Christmas and New Year season had been ongoing across all commands.

He assured the public that adequate security measures were in place to ensure safe travel and celebrations.

Addressing the recent upsurge in crime, including banditry and kidnapping, Egbetokun emphasised a community-based approach to tackling insecurity.

“Security is not something provided in silos. We must work in synergy with other security agencies and all communities in Nigeria,” he said.

He urged citizens to support security agencies by avoiding the spread of false information.

The police boss commended the officers, who risked their lives daily to provide security for Nigerians and called for national cooperation in building a safer country.

(NAN)

Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun on a Monday warned non-state actors planing to disrupt Saturday’s governorship election to have a rethink and stay away.

Represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Force Intelligence Department at the signing of the National Peace Accord in Awka, he warned the state owned vigilante group, Ebube-Agu, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) to stay away from the exercise. 

The police boss said the provision of security during the election is solely the responsibility of federal agents, warning that any individual or group caught bearing arms to obstruct lawful voting or undermine the sovereignty of the country will be matched with decisive force.

According to him: “Any attempt by IPOB, ESN or any other non-state actor to interfere with the forthcoming election shall invite an immediate, coordinated and overwhelming law enforcement response. 

“Precision targeted intelligence operations are already active to identify, isolate and dismantle any network or individual floating acts of intimidation or violence and the Nigerian state will respond firmly, lawfully and conclusively. The peace of Anambra State shall not be negotiated.

“Furthermore, any person or group found bearing arms, brandishing instruments of intimidation, or performing unauthorized security duties outside recognized federal agencies shall be treated as an armed of the non state actors. 

“Such persons shall be swiftly neutralized, arrested and prosecuted under the Firearms Act, the Criminal Code and the terrorism prevention and Prohibition Act 2022. This remains an operational red line that will be enforced without hesitation.

“The Nigerian police force has activated the zero tolerance enforcement protocol to ensure total compliance with the Electoral Act and related laws.

“Electoral offenses will be treated as criminal violations of national security, not mere political misconduct. Offenses such as ballot snatching, vote buying or voter intimidation, are felonies under the Electoral Act 2022.

“Officers are under strict instruction to effect immediate arrest based on first evidence and to ensure diligent prosecution through the electoral offenses desk already activated across the state. The objective is simple, to deter misconduct through swift and exemplary enforcement.

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“In addition, specialised cyber crime units are deployed to monitor, trace and counter a digital misinformation, fake news and coordinated online propaganda aimed at destructing public peace or discrediting the process.

“The following Election Day protocols are binding and enforceable under federal law. No political appointee, candidate or VIP is permitted to move with armed escorts or security aids to polling or coalition centers.

“Only accredited INEC officials, election observers and journalists may move freely between designated areas. Party agents and security personnel must remain within their assigned jurisdictions.

“Campaigning, partisan display or any act capable of causing provocation within the vicinity of polling units is prohibited. Possession of any weapon or instrument of intimidation will attract immediate arrest to all political parties, candidates and campaign managers, the responsibility for peace rests heavily upon you.

“The Nigerian police force will hold political leadership directly, directly accountable for the conduct of their supporters.”

Chairman of the National Peace Committee and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar said that democracy can only thrive where human lives are held sacred.

Represented by General Martin Luther Agwai, General Abubakar said signing of the Peace Accord represents their commitments, discipline and a call for responsibility on their part to ensure the success of the polls.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan said the commission was committed to conducting  free fair and peaceful election, calling on all Candidates and their supporters to support the commission to deliver a credible polls by playing by the rules and respect the principles and letters of the accord they signed.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, on Thursday expressed concern over the prolonged exploitation of Nigeria’s porous borders and directed commanders of the Border Patrol Section of the Nigerian Police Force to submit detailed monthly reports on their operations.

Speaking during a meeting with senior border commanders at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, Egbetokun warned that failure to provide the reports would be treated as dereliction of duty. 

He emphasised that the reports must capture key achievements such as arms and ammunition interceptions, narcotics and contraband seizures, disruption of human trafficking networks, and rescue operations.

“The absence of records will not be interpreted as peace or inactivity, but as failure of duty,” he cautioned.

The IGP stressed that border weaknesses expose communities to violence and insecurity, urging officers to see themselves as “sentinels at the edges of Nigeria’s sovereignty.”

Highlighting the sophistication of modern criminal networks, he noted that they are well-funded, international, and technologically advanced, employing drones, falsified documents, and encrypted systems.

Egbetokun called for the adoption of modern surveillance tools, drones, biometric scanners, and real-time data analysis, urging police officers to fully embrace technology in combating 21st-century crime.

He said, “Policing today can no longer afford to be reactive. To win, we must anticipate, innovate, and outthink those who seek to harm us.”

He cited last year’s seizure of a shipping container from Turkey containing 800 rifles and 100,000 rounds of ammunition as an example of the importance of intelligence, vigilance, and inter-agency collaboration.

The interception, he said, prevented what could have been one of the deadliest influxes of arms into the country.

The IGP also stressed the importance of grassroots intelligence, urging officers to build trust with border communities and treat local informants as critical partners in security. “A single phone call from a villager can prevent a massacre,” Egbetokun stated.

Before the meeting went into closed doors, he said it would no longer be business as usual.

Egbetokun said, “Nigeria is a nation blessed with vast and complex borders-over 4,000 kilometers of land boundaries and long maritime corridors linking us to the Gulf of Guinea. These borders are more than lines on a map. They are the arteries through which trade, culture, and human connection flow. But they can also be the cracks through which danger slips in.

“For too long, the porosity of our borders has been exploited. We have seen the inflow of small arms and light weapons that fuel violence in our villages and cities. We have seen contraband goods smuggled in, crippling our local industries. We have seen vulnerable women and children deceived and trafficked across borders. We have confronted terrorists and criminal syndicates who take advantage of these weaknesses to infiltrate and destabilize our communities.

“These are not abstract threats. They are the challenges we face daily. When you stop a truck carrying hidden rifles, you prevent bloodshed. When you intercept human traffickers, you restore dignity to a life. When you stand firm at a border post, you defend not just territory, but the very identity of Nigeria. This is why we cannot continue with business as usual. Policing today can no longer afford to be reactive. Crime is faster, smarter, and more global than ever before. To win, we must anticipate, we must innovate, and we must outthink those who seek to harm us.

Read Also: Why tinted-glass permit policy is important, by IGP

“Just last year, a shipping container carrying over 800 rifles and 100,000rounds of ammunition, hidden among furniture from Turkey, was intercepted by Nigerian Security Agencies. That interception was not luck; it was the result of intelligence, vigilance, and collaboration1.It prevented what could have been one of the deadliest influxes of arms into our country. That is the standard we must uphold in all our border operations.

“You, the officers of the Border Patrol Section, carry an enormous responsibility. You are not just policemen and women. You are the first line of defence against external threats. You are the protectors of Nigeria’s sovereignty. We cannot fight 21st-century crime with 20th-century tools. That is why we must embrace technology – surveillance systems, drones, biometric scanners, real-time data analysis. These are not luxuries; they are necessities. And we will continue to fight for them until every officer on the frontline is equipped to match the sophistication of those you face.

“From this moment forward, every Commander must keep accurate records of achievements and submit detailed reports to Force Headquarters at the end of each month. These reports must highlight, at the very least, your successes in intercepting arms and ammunition, seizing narcotics and other contraband, and disrupting human trafficking networks while rescuing victims and holding traffickers to account. In addition, every other notable operational achievement – from currency seizures and smuggling disruptions, to intelligence breakthroughs and joint operations- must also be captured in your reports.

“This is not a suggestion; it is command responsibility. The absence of records will not be interpreted as peace or inactivity. It will be taken as a failure of duty”.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, on Thursday, called for urgent international cooperation to address the escalating security challenges posed by cattle rustling and its dangerous convergence with terrorism financing.

Egbetokun said it also includes the spread of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) threats across Africa.

The IGP said this while presenting a paper at the 27th INTERPOL African Regional Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa.

A statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said, “The Inspector-General of Police raised concern over the transformation of cattle rustling in West Africa from a rural nuisance into a sophisticated criminal enterprise that fuels terrorism, armed groups, and cross-border criminal networks.

Read Also: IGP pushes for synergy to tackle transnational crime, others

“He further warned of the dangerous nexus between cattle rustling and CBRNE threats, including the spread of zoonotic diseases like anthrax and brucellosis, the exploitation of smuggling routes for trafficking radiological materials, and the use of proceeds from livestock theft to fund production of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), thereby worsening insecurity across conflict zones.

“The IGP outlined six strategic pillars for response, including intelligence fusion, livestock market reforms, anti-money laundering frameworks, stronger border cooperation, community partnerships, and CBRNE preparedness.

“He concluded by calling for a continent-wide and global alliance to secure Africa’s livestock trade, protect rural populations, and block extremist exploitation of regional vulnerabilities.

“On the sidelines of the conference, the IGP held strategic meetings with INTERPOL President, Major General Dr. Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, and Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza, where discussions centred on strengthening border security, expanding access to global policing databases, enhancing real-time information exchange, and improving institutional capacity against terrorism financing.

“He also met with a Brazilian delegation led by De Souza Rinaldo and Dos Reis Guedes Ferreira Alvares Andrea, with both parties committing to deepen Nigeria–Brazil police cooperation through intelligence sharing, combating organised crime, and building capacity for CBRNE threat mitigation.

“The Inspector-General of Police reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to leading from the front, sharing best practices, and working collaboratively with its regional and international partners to ensure peace, security, and resilience in Africa and beyond”.