Certain factions are targeting me, claims former Police Chief Egbetokun

Former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has attributed the persistent media criticism of his leadership to entrenched interests opposed to the reforms he implemented to revamp the Nigeria Police Force.

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Upon assuming office, one of the initial challenges Egbetokun faced was the widespread falsification of service records within the Force, which he promptly addressed by halting the practice and launching investigations to uncover those involved.

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According to Egbetokun, some officers had allegedly paid to manipulate their official records to extend their years of service beyond the statutory limit, but his administration put a stop to this and forwarded the names of those involved to the Police Service Commission for disciplinary action.

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Egbetokun stated that he not only stopped the practice but also ensured that the culprits were removed from the system, saying "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."

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Another contentious issue arose with a group of cadet force entrants seeking to remain in service beyond their statutory period, citing a judgement of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, but Egbetokun's investigation revealed that the court decision was based on a fake signal.

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The signal, which was purportedly from the Office of the Force Secretary and relayed through the Sokoto State Command, was discovered to be fabricated, and Egbetokun noted that "Our investigation confirmed that no such signal emanated from the Office of the Force Secretary."

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Egbetokun's findings were forwarded to the Police Service Commission, which subsequently took disciplinary action against the officers involved, and he emphasized that his commitment to internal discipline set his leadership apart from previous administrations.

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He stated, "We cannot effectively enforce the law if we fail to enforce discipline within our own ranks," highlighting the importance of internal discipline in the police force.

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Egbetokun alleged that wealthy individuals affected by the disciplinary measures had been funding media campaigns to discredit him, and that several fabricated allegations and misleading reports were circulated to undermine his leadership.

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Additionally, a group unhappy with amendments to the Nigeria Police Act, which allowed him to remain in office for a four-year tenure, also joined the campaign against him, comprising ambitious senior officers who believed they had a chance of becoming Inspector-General of Police if his reputation was damaged.

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Egbetokun also accused elements linked to the "Take It Back Movement" of sustaining negative narratives against him and the police, a movement associated with organisers of the End Bad Governance Protest.

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The movement, according to Egbetokun, aimed to destabilise the country through mass demonstrations and had planned to trigger widespread destruction across the country to force a change of government, boasting that the #EndSARS protest would be "child’s play" and referencing the 2024 mass protests in Kenya.

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Egbetokun maintained that the police acted lawfully to prevent violence and protect national stability during the protests, saying "We did everything lawful to stop them on the two major occasions and subsequent attempts."

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He added that the police believed their actions were in the overall interest of Nigerians, considering the country's socioeconomic fragility at the time, and that "We believed it was in the overall interest of Nigerians."

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Despite the controversies and media attacks, Egbetokun said he remained focused on advancing policing reforms throughout his tenure, stating "In spite of the media wars, I remained focused."

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Egbetokun expressed pride in what he achieved to advance policing in Nigeria, saying "I am proud of what we achieved to advance policing in Nigeria in the interest of the silent majority of Nigerians."