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By Okechukwu Nwanguma
With the appointment of Acting Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Ridwan Disu to lead the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria stands at a critical reform moment. The expectations are high, the institutional challenges are deep, and the opportunity for transformational leadership is real.
RULAAC sets out the following priority agenda for the Acting IGP:
1. *Tackle Welfare Deficits: Dignity to Service*
The welfare crisis within the Force remains a major driver of corruption, low morale, and operational inefficiency. Serving and retired personnel continue to grapple with:
– Inadequate remuneration relative to risk exposure
– Poor housing and barracks conditions
– Delayed promotions and unpaid salary arrears
– Pension and gratuity challenges
Addressing welfare is not an act of benevolence – it is a strategic imperative. A neglected police workforce cannot deliver professional service.
The Acting IGP should:
– Establish a transparent grievance redress mechanism.
– Ensure prompt payment of promotion arrears and retirement benefits.
– Conduct a nationwide welfare audit.
– Engage the Federal Government and National Assembly for improved funding.
2. *Confront Resource and Equipment Deficits*
Chronic underfunding, obsolete equipment, and poor logistics undermine operational effectiveness and expose officers to unnecessary risk.
The Acting IGP must boldly and publicly demand:
– Increased and predictable funding.
– Needs-based, transparent budgeting.
– Strong political backing for professional policing.
*Institutional Reform: Annual Policing Plan & Budgeting*
The Force should, in compliance with the Police Act 2020, develop and publish an Annual Policing Plan, clearly linking:
– Strategic priorities
– Resource allocation
– Measurable outcomes
– Oversight and accountability benchmarks
Professional policing requires planning, not improvisation.
3. *Tackle Impunity: Address Rogue Units and Past Abuses*
Reform cannot succeed without confronting impunity.
*Tiger Base (Imo State)*
The Anti-Kidnapping Unit popularly known as “Tiger Base” in Owerri has faced persistent allegations of torture, arbitrary detention, extortion, and serious human rights violations, including organ harvesting claims. These allegations have significantly eroded public confidence.
*Awkuzu (Anambra State)*
The former SARS unit in Awkuzu became a symbol of systemic abuse and impunity. The legacy of those violations still haunts public perception of the police.
The Acting IGP must:
– Order independent investigations into all credible allegations.
– Ensure prosecution where evidence supports wrongdoing.
– Dismantle abusive operational cultures.
– Protect whistleblowers within the Force.
Without accountability, reform rhetoric will lack credibility.
4. *Tackle Corruption to Rebuild Public Trust*
Checkpoint extortion, bail racketeering, manipulation of case files, and diversion of operational funds remain systemic problems.
Combating corruption requires:
– Strengthening the Internal Affairs mechanisms.
– Deploying technology (digital case management, body cameras).
– Transparent disciplinary processes.
– Leadership by personal example.
Public trust is earned through integrity and consistency.
5. *Lead by Example: Enforce Compliance with the Police Act 2020*
The Police Act 2020 provides a modern legal framework for democratic policing. Its faithful implementation is essential.
The Acting IGP should insist on:
– Strict compliance with arrest and detention safeguards.
– Respect for suspects’ right to counsel.
– Proper documentation and recording of confessional statements.
– Zero tolerance for torture and coercion.
– Enhance Access to Legal Support
– Guarantee timely access to lawyers for persons in custody.
– Partner with Legal Aid and civil society for custody monitoring.
– Institutionalize custody visitation registers across commands.
6. *Promote Non-Discrimination and Gender Equality*
A professional police force must reflect constitutional values.
The Acting IGP should:
– Eliminate discriminatory recruitment and posting practices.
– Promote gender-sensitive training.
– Ensure equal career progression opportunities.
– Address sexual harassment within the Force.
Gender equality strengthens institutional effectiveness and public legitimacy.
7. *Electoral Policing: Neutrality and Integrity*
As Nigeria prepares for future electoral cycles, the Force must demonstrate:
– Strict non-partisanship.
– Professional crowd management.
– Protection of voters, electoral officials, and observers.
– Zero tolerance for political interference.
Electoral policing must be guided solely by constitutional duty.
8. *Training and Retraining for Professionalism*
Institutional reform requires sustained capacity building in:
– Human rights–based policing
– Investigative and forensic skills
– Community policing strategies
– Ethics and anti-corruption standards
Training must be continuous, evaluated, and linked to promotion criteria.
9. *Promote Due Process and Respect for Court Orders*
Institutional credibility depends on respect for the judiciary.
The Force must demonstrate full compliance with domestic and regional court judgments, including the decision of the ECOWAS Court of Justice in the case of Gloria Okolie, where violations were found and compensation awarded.
Defiance of court orders undermines democracy and emboldens impunity.
*A Moment of Institutional Reckoning*
Acting IGP Olatunji Ridwan Disu has an opportunity to redefine leadership within the Nigeria Police Force – not through rhetoric, but through measurable reform.
He can either manage entrenched dysfunction or champion a transformation anchored in welfare reform, accountability, professionalism, neutrality, and respect for the rule of law.
Nigeria needs a police force that is trusted by citizens, respected by courts, and supported by its personnel.
The moment calls for courage – and history will remember whether it was seized.
