• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
  • E-Book
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
  • E-Book
Home Security IGP Kayode Egbetokun: Policing With a Human Face
  • Security

IGP Kayode Egbetokun: Policing With a Human Face

By
Zayd Ibn Isah
-
November 23, 2023
Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun,
Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun,

IGP Kayode Egbetokun: Policing With a Human Face
By Zayd Ibn Isah

Recently, I learned of the timely intervention of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, in Solomon Bawaʼs distressing encounter with some policemen in Nasarawa State. My awareness of this incident came from the well-known human rights media platform, Berekete Family, which is led by its CEO, Ordinary Ahmed Isah, a.k.a Ordinary President. The IGP’s swift intervention came immediately after Solomon Bawa granted an interview with the Berekete Family, where he accused the policemen of wrongful arrest and degrading treatment.

According to Bawa, in 2019, while on his way to repair the tires of his pickup van, he was arrested by a team of policemen who identified him as Bawa Gambo. He said his pleas of innocence, that he was not Bawa Gambo, fell on deaf ears. Not only did the police officers dehumanize him, but also forced him to admit that he is Bawa Gambo. After this terrible ordeal, he was later transferred to the State CID, where he was charged to court and endured years in prison until the intervention of a human rights lawyer, Barrister C.Y. Masha.

Solomon Bawa’s sad story left me to ponder upon how people could be so cruel to their fellow human beings. And the fact that these individuals are obviously paid with taxpayersʼ money to protect lives and property, including the basic rights of ordinary, law-abiding citizens such as Solomon Bawa, makes this particular case even more saddening.

Meanwhile, in discussing the policeʼs efforts to hold the rogue officers accountable, Bawa recounted a one-on-one meeting he had with the IGP. He revealed that in the meeting, the IGP assured him of justice and even went further to provide financial support, as a way to ease Bawaʼs suffering. This compassionate act surprised Bawa at the time, and its revelation astounded the Ordinary President himself, as well as other listeners in the studio.

This collective surprise is understandable, seeing as it is a consequence of the single story that has unfairly defined the entire Nigeria Police Force as an establishment of greedy, selfish and corrupt officers. Anyone who has ever been a victim of unfair stereotyping knows the danger of a single story, and understands that such a story acts in opposition to the truth and reality of life. As I often tell those who care to listen, there are good police officers in Nigeria; and just as there are good Nigerians, there are good Nigerian police officers. This is because ultimately, the law enforcement arm of any country is a reflective product of its society.

Read Also:

  • Army Dislodges Bandits in Taraba Forests Under Operation Lafiya Nakowa
  • How Irabor’s Book Launch Became National Security Summit as Obasanjo, Jonathan, Kukah, Sultan Spoke on Boko Haram
  • Nigerian Army Denies Losing Weapons to Bandits in Kwara Operation

Beyond Solomonʼs story, there was also an account of how SDP supporters from Kogi State accused the police of complicity in an attack that occurred during the recent gubernatorial election. They also commended the IGP for his swift response, and for his assurances that officers implicated in the attack would face appropriate punishment if found guilty.

Those who have known IGP Kayode Egbetokun way before his rise to the top, would not be surprised by accounts of his compassionate actions toward Solomon Bawa and others. To such people who have closely followed his careerʼs trajectory, the IGP is first and foremost a man of remarkable compassion, a sterling quality that runs alongside his reputation as a disciplinarian par excellence.

During his tenure as Kwara Stateʼs Commissioner of Police, the IGP reportedly directed Divisional Police Officers to prioritize the safety of lives and property over returns, and to also shun all forms of bribery and corruption. And he did not only give the instruction, but made sure that it was followed to the letter, as officers who failed to comply were duly punished.

On a more personal note, I can never forget a particularly memorable encounter I had with him during my book presentation/launching in Kwara State. Prior to this event, I was advised to approach him for support because he famously loves reading books. But alas, as at the time I met him, he was already on his way out of office as Kwara Stateʼs Commissioner of Police. As such, he felt quite bad that I came at a time he was already on transfer out of the Command. Nevertheless, he made sure to leave a note behind for his successor to support my literary endeavours. And the rest, as is often said, is history.

The importance of human compassion in policing is evident, as exemplified by the calibre of leaders like former Boston Police Commissioner William Evans, Chief Carmen Best of the Seattle Police Department, and former Dallas Police Chief, David Brown. The compassionate approaches of these men to policing, emphasized building trust and fostering positive communication relations as the surest method to enhance the connections between law enforcement agencies and the communities which they serve.

In conclusion, addressing the issue of cleansing the Nigeria Police Force of its bad elements should be a collective responsibility. After all, the integrity of law enforcement body can either hasten or prevent the threat of anarchy within a society. As such, initiatives could begin by recruiting individuals with the highest degree of intelligence and other capabilities into the system as my boss, the Chairman, Police Service Commission, Dr. Solomon Arase said.

Policing, anywhere in the world, is challenging especially when it is meant to safeguard law and order within a complex society like ours, necessitating the placement of round pegs in round holes. It is in this vein that we need now more than ever, the proliferation of stellar officers in the mould of the present Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Zayd Ibn Isah can be reached at [email protected]

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • IGP kayode Egbetuku
  • Solomon Bawaʼs
  • Zayd Ibn Isah
Previous articleGround Troops Free 139 Hostages, Kill 99 B/Haram Terrorists in 7 Days
Next articleFighting Insecurity: A Case for the ‘Interactive Approach
Zayd Ibn Isah
Zayd Ibn Isah

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Bandit hideout destroyed by troops

Army Dislodges Bandits in Taraba Forests Under Operation Lafiya Nakowa

How Irabor’s Book Launch Became National Security Summit as Obasanjo, Jonathan, Kukah, Sultan Spoke on Boko Haram

Nigerian Army

Nigerian Army Denies Losing Weapons to Bandits in Kwara Operation

NDLEA Logo

NDLEA Dismantles Cocaine Cartels Behind UK Shipments, Arrests Suspects, Destroys 25,000kg Skunk Nationwide

Troops Neutralise Terrorists, Repel Boko Haram Attack in Borno

GWA Award Winners 2025

PHOTOS: Nigeria Customs, IMPR Bag Back-to-Back Golden World Award at IPRA 70th Anniversary

Troops Nab Terrorists’ Logistics, Drug Suppliers in Borno

We Arrested 450 Terrorists, Rescued 180 Abducted Victims in One Month – Military

Over 100 Jerrycans of Petrol Seized as Police Foil Smuggling to Niger Republic

NAFDAC Seals Chinese Supermarkets, Cosmetics Shops in Abuja

NSCDC Mining marshals

Mining Marshals Arrests 5 Illegal Miners in Niger, Seize Logistics

Inspector-General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun

STEP-BY-STEP: How to Apply for New Digital Tinted Glass Permit as Police Begin Enforcement

Recent Posts

  • Army Dislodges Bandits in Taraba Forests Under Operation Lafiya Nakowa
  • How Irabor’s Book Launch Became National Security Summit as Obasanjo, Jonathan, Kukah, Sultan Spoke on Boko Haram
  • Nigerian Army Denies Losing Weapons to Bandits in Kwara Operation
  • Uba Sani Releases ₦2.3bn for Retirees and Families of Deceased Workers
  • Group Urges CBN to Scrap 2% Service Charge on Hajj Fare to Reduce Pilgrimage Cost
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Army Dislodges Bandits in Taraba Forests Under Operation Lafiya NakowaHow Irabor's Book Launch Became National Security Summit as Obasanjo, Jonathan, Kukah, Sultan Spoke on Boko HaramNigerian Army Denies Losing Weapons to Bandits in Kwara OperationUba Sani Releases ₦2.3bn for Retirees and Families of Deceased WorkersGroup Urges CBN to Scrap 2% Service Charge on Hajj Fare to Reduce Pilgrimage CostNDLEA Dismantles Cocaine Cartels Behind UK Shipments, Arrests Suspects, Destroys 25,000kg Skunk NationwideKano Gov't Investigates Alleged Diversion of N4bn Dala Inland Dry Port FundsACF Warns of Alleged Plot to Cripple Dangote Refinery, Urges FG InterventionTroops Neutralise Terrorists, Repel Boko Haram Attack in BornoPHOTOS: Nigeria Customs, IMPR Bag Back-to-Back Golden World Award at IPRA 70th AnniversaryTroops Nab Terrorists’ Logistics, Drug Suppliers in BornoS/Arabia-Trained Graduates to Begin Forum on Sustainable DevelopmentChristian Genocide and the Conspiracy against Nigeria By Femi Fani-KayodeWe Arrested 450 Terrorists, Rescued 180 Abducted Victims in One Month - MilitaryOver 100 Jerrycans of Petrol Seized as Police Foil Smuggling to Niger Republic
X whatsapp