On Tuesday, Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police, voiced grave concerns about the unethical practice of moving ongoing cases without permission and the abuse of public office by some officials and individuals.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Muyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, emphasized that such actions, which compromise investigations and damage public trust in the Force, will no longer be accepted.
“Transparency, professionalism, and accountability must continue to be the cornerstones of policing,” the IGP has emphasized.
In keeping with this, he has instructed all personnel and supervising officers, especially those in investigative units, to handle cases with diligence and integrity,” Adejobi said. Additionally, he issued a warning that any officer discovered to be involved in indiscriminate case file transfers or abusing their office.
It has been decided that the frequent practice of moving cases that are still being investigated across formations without permission is undesirable. Such activities waste resources, cause needless delays, and place an excessive strain on all parties. Unless specifically authorized by his office, the IGP has made it clear that matters should be looked into in the jurisdiction where the alleged offenses happened,” Adejobi continued.
Concerns regarding the abuse of police power in civil issues, especially those involving land ownership, were also included in the statement.
“The IGP has reminded officers that unless there is an underlying criminal element, the police have no jurisdiction over purely civil matters. Even in these cases, investigations must be overseen by the State Commissioners of Police, who will be held accountable for the process and outcome,” pointed out Adejobi.
Additionally, the Inspector-General promised to address the problem of pointless petitions that are used to harass or threaten people. The IGP has also promised to address the issue of malicious or baseless petitions filed with the intention of harassing or intimidating people.
Going forward, every petition that is filed with the police must now contain a statement attesting to its legitimacy and authenticity as well as the fact that the complaint hasn’t been filed with another law enforcement agency or, if it has, that it was withdrawn before the police were involved.
Petitioners who are determined to have submitted baseless petitions will be subject to the proper penalties for providing the police with misleading information.
With the exception of situations that call for review or special involvement, the IGP encouraged the public to submit their petitions to the relevant police commands, divisions, or units rather than his office in order to guarantee a more effective complaint procedure.
“With the exception of situations that call for review, appeal, or special intervention, the IGP has advised the public to send their complaints and petitions to the relevant Police Commands, Divisions, or Units rather than the IGP’s office. In order to control police intervention, he also emphasized the significance of not portraying civil conflicts as criminal ones,” according to the FPRO.
Egbetoku reassured Nigerians of the Force’s commitment to accountability and openness while restating his commitment to professionalism. The IGP assures Nigerians of the Force’s commitment to maintaining accountability and transparency as part of his professionalism.
He urges people to report any unethical behavior through the proper channels and to have faith in the police to uphold the law. Any officer or person discovered to be abusing the IGP’s name or authority may be subject to harsh repercussions, including, if required, prosecution.