Convener, League for Good Governance, Isaiah Davies Ijele has emphasised that Nigeria must rebuild public trust in the police through visible disciplinary actions, transparency and constitutional safeguards for the proposed state policing structure.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Saturday, Ijele spoke extensively about the strained relationship between Nigerian citizens and the police, the need for deeper institutional reforms within the force, and the expectations surrounding the tenure of the new Inspector General of Police.
“First of all, I would like to say that the Nigerian police are doing very well in some certain areas. And also, there are so many, just like you said, that the image, the gap between the Nigerian police and the citizens is nothing to write home about as a result of the bad eggs among them and as a result of some of the incidents that we’ve been seeing, such as police brutality and so many of the bad boys’ activities.”
Ijele emphasised that although misconduct by some officers has damaged the image of the force. “There are still good men in the police. I am a victim of police before, and I have also met somebody in the police that formed my opinion about, look, something better can be done. We still have good men in the police. One of the things I want to tell this current IG specifically is this: any policeman found wanted in any area, either senior officers or junior officers, dismiss them on national television. See, we cannot build confidence in police if you don’t see the actions of the IG or the Police Service Commission openly.”
He argued that previous disciplinary measures were often carried out quietly, leaving citizens unaware. “We are were not told on national television that these are the reasons why some of the senior officers were released of their duties from the Nigeria Police. These are the issues that will build confidence in the citizens that, look, something is happening, reformation is going on.”
Ijele recounted an experience he said illustrated the lack of public communication around disciplinary measures. “I went to one of the police formations somewhere last year, and I met some officers, about four, that were locked up. When I asked the reason, it will shock you because of extortion. And I was told that they were later dismissed. I don’t see it on national television.”
He said the police leadership must regularly communicate reforms through public briefings.
“You need to be calling for each, every week, two weeks, even every month, press conference and be telling the citizens, look, we have done this. Look, this is what happened here. We caught the officers and he was dismissed. This will build confidence with the citizens.”
Speaking on the debate around the creation of state police, Ijele said he supports the idea but warned. “State policing is very good. We all want to have community policing. But make sure that the politicians let me tell you the major problem with Nigeria security issues today are the politicians.”
He argued that politicians frequently interfere with policing operations and sometimes deploy security agencies. “They are the ones using insecurity to oppress each other, oppress the citizen. There is no way the interference of politicians is not affecting our day-to-day activities. You see politicians using the same police to attack themselves, attack the citizen.”
Ijele urged the federal government and police leadership to introduce constitutional safeguards before implementing state police.
“I will ask Mr President and the current IG to put up measures, constitutional measures. I’m not talking about just a word or a press statement. If possible send it to the National Assembly and put measures in place so politicians cannot abuse it.”
He also narrated a personal encounter during the 2023 election period which he said shaped his views about policing in Nigeria. “Prior to the 2023 election, just four days to election, as a senatorial candidate, my officers, my CSO, called me that they were being called back and we were asked to withdraw from all the politicians. I was left alone.”
According to him, the situation escalated into a security threat. “When police attacked us, I was almost assassinated,” he said.
Ijele said the then Inspector General of Police intervened directly in the situation.
“This is the man that we told. My people cried to his office and protested to his office and he flew down with a helicopter right in my presence with the CP.”
He explained that the intervention reinforced his belief. “In my presence when we were brought to the CP office, he asked the CP, who authorised the operation? The person that led the operation said it is the CP. They were jittering in our presence.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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