Facts Over Facebook Fiction: Defending The Integrity Of The Nigeria Police -By Adewole Kehinde

Social media thrives on speed, not accuracy. It rewards outrage over evidence and amplifies conjecture as fact.

This reality was again on display in a recent Facebook post by Omoyele Sowore, the serially unsuccessful presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), who alleged, without proof, that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, is somehow in the “back pocket” of an APC senator, Prince Ned Nwoko. Such a claim is not only baseless; it is reckless.

Allegations of this gravity require facts, not innuendo. None has been presented. Instead, what Nigerians have witnessed under IGP Egbetokun is a policing leadership focused on institutional reform, professionalism, and the rule of law, not servitude to private interests.

Reducing the complex responsibilities of the IGP to a cartoonish conspiracy does nothing to advance public discourse or accountability.

Equally unfounded is the sweeping assertion of “illegal arrests across Nigeria”. The truth is simpler and verifiable: arrests by the Nigeria Police Force are carried out within the framework of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and extant laws.

Lawful arrest, bail where applicable, and due process remain the guiding principles. Where errors occur, as in any large institution, they are subject to internal discipline and judicial review. Broad-brush accusations of systemic illegality are inaccurate and unfair.

The Nigeria Police Force is neither compromised nor a personal vendetta machine, contrary to the narrative peddled by a confused and dejected commentator seeking relevance.

Policing is not a tool for settling scores; it is a public service bound by law. Under the 2026 Police Action Plan, there is no room for impunity. The IGP’s agenda is clear: build a professionally competent, service-driven, rule-of-law-compliant, and people-friendly police force.

This includes intelligence-led policing, enhanced training, improved welfare, and robust community and inter-agency collaboration, measures designed to restore public trust and secure the nation for development.

In Lagos State, Commissioner of Police Olohundare Jimoh exemplifies this ethos. Since assuming office, he has demonstrated diligence, impartiality, and commitment to lawful policing. Attempts to smear his office with vague allegations collapse under the weight of his record.

It must also be stated plainly: no private citizen, no matter how loud on social media, has the power or authority to order the release of an accused person. That decision lies within the bounds of law, the courts, and due process.

If Mr Sowore seeks relevance, he would do better to focus on his campus-style politics rather than issuing commands he has no authority to make.

Nigeria deserves sober analysis, not sensationalism. The Nigeria Police is not a tool for settling private scores or failed marital affairs.

It is a national institution tasked with protecting lives and property, and it should be judged by evidence, reforms, and outcomes, not by Facebook fiction.

Adewole Kehinde writes from Abuja and can be reached via kennyadewole@gmail.com or @kennyadewole.