Former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has spoken about the criticism he faced from the media while in office, saying some wealthy individuals and influential groups sponsored attacks against him because of the reforms he introduced in the Nigerian Police Force.
Egbetokun said his administration moved to address corruption within the system. According to him, before he assumed office, some officers allegedly paid money to alter their service records so they could remain in the force beyond the period allowed by law. He said the practice was stopped and those responsible were sanctioned.
The former Police Chief said:
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“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 also spoke about a group of officers who attempted to rely on a court ruling to extend their stay in service. Egbetokun said an investigation carried out by his team showed that the documents presented before the court were not genuine.
According to him:
“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. We cannot effectively enforce the law if we fail to enforce discipline within our own ranks.”
Egbetokun further alleged that some senior officers who were interested in his position were among those trying to damage his reputation. He said they were displeased with the amendment to the Police Act which allowed him to serve a four-year tenure.
He also accused some activist groups of attempting to organise protests aimed at forcing the government out of power, noting that the police intervened to prevent possible violence and destruction of property.
Reflecting on the protests, he stated:
“They boasted that the #EndSARS protest would be child’s play and even referenced the 2024 mass protests in Kenya. 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.”
Despite the criticism, Egbetokun said he remained focused on his duties and is satisfied with the work carried out during his tenure.
He concluded:
“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.”