By Adewole Kehinde
Corruption is a complex social, political and economic phenomenon that affects all countries. Corruption undermines democratic institutions, slows economic development and contributes to governmental instability.
Corruption attacks the foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic quagmires, whose only reason for existing is the soliciting of bribes. Economic development is stunted, because foreign direct investment is discouraged and small businesses within the country often find it impossible to overcome the “start-up costs” required, because of corruption.
On 31 October 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption and requested that the Secretary-General designate the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as the secretariat for the Convention’s Conference of States Parties (resolution 58/4). Since then, 190 parties have committed to the Convention’s anti-corruption obligations, showing near-universal recognition of the importance of good governance, accountability, and political commitment.
The Assembly also designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it. The Convention entered into force in December 2005.
On 26th August 2023, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun warned police officers in the country not to dent the image of the police force with corruption.
Egbetokun gave the warning in Akure, the Ondo state capital, while decorating 224 newly promoted officers of the Police Command in Ondo State.
Speaking through the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Ebong Ebong, Zone 17, comprising Ondo and Ekiti States, the IG promised that hard work would be rewarded while erring officers wouldn’t go unpunished.
According to him, “To whom much is given, much is expected. Now that you are up there, you must take your responsibilities seriously. Be professional in your duties; be civil but fair. From today on, be in charge of your duties.
“As of today, remove that playfulness as an inspector. Remove it. Show that you are a senior police officer. Maintain your dignity and pride.
“Take note; we are in the ICT era of the internet. So you must always be polite and civil to the people you are dealing with. Take note that the IG doesn’t tolerate corruption.
“Do your best to ensure you don’t dent the image of the police with corruption. We will reward hardworking and efficient officers but will not spare the rod to punish erring officers.
“The excesses of the police are being checked, so do your best and respect human rights.” Know the law and perform your duties. Speaking about the new officers, the Inspector General of Police said that 73 of them were confirmed while the rest remained unconfirmed.
Also, on the 23rd October 2024, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun reiterated the Force’s zero tolerance for extortion, impunity, and corruption from its officers.
Egbetokun said this on Wednesday while speaking at the commissioning and public presentation of the Rivers State Police Command’s Complaint Response Unit office, at the command’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, zone 16 command, Adebola Hamzat, the IGP noted that the Force is poised to meet the expectations of the public.
He said, “IG has said it and we are echoing it that there’s is zero tolerance for extortion, there’s zero tolerance for corruption and we do not take it where people whose money is used to pay you salary are the ones to suffer unnecessary tension, unnecessary impunity from police officers.
“We have had courses to tell them. We’ve gone round to give them training. And we’ll continue to improve on what we have on the ground. We pray that the Nigeria Police will meet the expectations of the police we serve.”
Acknowledging the lacuna associated with the Force, which he said was the principal law enforcement agency in the country, the IG stressed that contrary to public opinion, cases of misconduct reported to the force are duly addressed.
“The Nigeria Police Force is the principal law enforcement agency in the country, that is the fact known to everyone whose vision includes making Nigeria safer and more secure for economic development and growth, and creating a safe and secure environment for everyone living in Nigeria.
“However, actual and perceived impunity, corruption, extortion, and other human rights abuses are what people see we commit. Just like the discussion I was telling them that no organization, no institution deals with their home when there’s misconduct like the police. Now, there are some lacuna and it is that lacuna that the Complaint Response Unit has come to give us.
“If people report, they always don’t know that actions are taken because there’s no feedback system. But there’s no misconduct reported to the police authority that actions are not taken. I stand bold to say this and let everyone who knows to the contrary, contradict this. But, if you report a case, you’re not supposed to be visiting the police station every day. We should have a way to tell you that your case, this is what had been decided, and this is the punishment meted out to the perpetrator of that complaint you have given to us, that we hadn’t before.”
Continuing he said, “So, the CRU also gives that protection because people fear to give information to the police, that if you go and report him after they have done this, he’ll come back. At least at the initial time of reporting, nobody knows your identity, it’s an online thing and we can always have that as feedback, and give the use of technology to see that you’re well served, for you, finance the Nigeria Police Force.
“The CRU was created in 2015 and since then, they’ve been doing a very good job. I know that if anyone wants to say the truth, recent happenings show that police are changing and we will continue to change”.
The IG further thanked various stakeholders and sister agencies for their continued collaboration, pledging the Force’s resolve to promote effective policing in the country.
“This is an era of community policing. The Nigeria Police Force can not do it alone. We do it with sister agencies and not just that, policing is not just a government affair, that is why we collaborate with traditional rulers, we collaborate with student unions, we collaborate with CSOs, community-based organizations, and so on, to make sure that you partake, you partner with us, we know what are your policing needs and we go by what you want, how you want to be policed so that we can have effect policing brought to the door of the people,” the police boss said.
In his remarks, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes country representative in Nigeria, Cheikh Toure, commended the IG for the initiative, noting that it aligns with the UNODC’s vision for Nigeria.
“This initiative aligns with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s strategic vision for Nigeria 2030, particularly in the priority areas aimed at strengthening the criminal justice system, ensuring access to justice, protecting victims of crime and safeguarding society from corruption and illicit financial flaws.
“Effective policing is rooted in integrity and the steadfast commitment to upholding human rights. A robust accountability framework must be provided to ensure that opportunities are provided to the public to voice their concerns, implement proper reporting procedures, and establish accessible complaint mechanisms for addressing issues directly with the police and also through external parties.
“The establishment of the complaints response unit meets this essential criteria and remains crucial to the building of partnership and cooperation between the members of the Nigeria Police Force and the public they serve. Therefore, the directive from the inspector general of police to establish complaint response units across the 36 states in Nigeria is commendable”.
On the 19th October 2024, IGP Kayode Egbetokun voiced strong concerns over alleged cases of extortion and high-handedness by certain officers within the Nigeria Police Force.
The IGP condemned the actions of the erring officers and vowed to take decisive measures against them, during a recent conference with senior police officers in Abuja.
He urged AIGs, CPs, and other senior officers to ensure proper oversight of their subordinates.
He emphasised the importance of maintaining the highest professional standards in the conduct of police duties.
As part of efforts to curb misconduct, the IGP directed various disciplinary units, including the IGP X-Squad, Monitoring Unit, and Complaint Response Unit (CRU), to conduct routine checks on officers nationwide.
He warned that officers found guilty of corruption or misconduct would face strict punishment, and that supervisory officers would not be exempt from responsibility if their subordinates were involved in unethical practices.
In addition, IGP Egbetokun issued a stern warning to officers engaging in the unethical practice of name-dropping senior officials to extort money from the public.
He emphasized that any officer found guilty of using his name or that of other senior officers for fraudulent purposes would face severe disciplinary action.
Egbetokun reiterated the force’s zero-tolerance policy for corruption and misconduct.
The IGP also called on the public to remain vigilant and report any attempts to exploit his name for fraudulent activities, underscoring the role of citizens in ensuring accountability within the police force.
Also, on the 8th November 2024, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun condemned the spate of extortion allegations against some officers of the force in various areas across the country.
He specifically referenced a recent case involving officers from the Zone 16 Zonal Headquarters in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State.
“The Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of IGP Egbetokun, maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any act of corruption and police misconduct. The Force takes every allegation of extortion and abuse of power extremely seriously.”
“The IGP has, however, reassured the general public that the Force will continue to investigate all allegations levelled against erring officers thoroughly,” Adejobi said.
He stated that the IGP has ordered severe punishments for officers found guilty of misconduct.
Adejobi added, “In pursuit of restorative justice, the Inspector General of Police has mandated severe consequences for any officer, no matter how highly ranked, found culpable, acting as a deterrent to those who may seek to compromise the integrity of the Force.”
“The IGP further urges members of the public to make use of the following Police helpline and contacts to lodge complaints whenever necessary.”
Adejobi also announced that training on child care and protection would take place on Monday.
“The workshop will not only focus on enhancing technical capabilities but also emphasise the essential ethical principles when dealing with sensitive cases to establish a child-friendly police system in Nigeria.”
“By emphasising compassion, transparency, and adherence to modern investigative techniques, the Nigeria Police Force aims to foster a culture of professionalism and accountability among its personnel, thereby strengthening public trust and confidence in the organisation,” he added.
Among other mechanism put in place by the IGP Egbetokun led management team include Internal Affairs Unit that investigates complaints and allegations of corruption against police officers.
Also, there are ongoing efforts to provide ethics training and reorientation programs for police officers to promote integrity and ethical conduct.
The police force has implemented monitoring systems to track and address corrupt practices, as well as mechanisms for holding officers accountable for misconduct.
The police have encouraged the reporting of corrupt activities by implementing a whistleblowing policy that allows for anonymity and protection of whistleblowers.
This move by the IGP is seen as part of a broader effort to restore public trust in the Nigeria Police Force and ensure that officers uphold their duty with integrity and professionalism.
Adewole Kehinde is the publisher of Swift Reporters. 08166240846 kennyadewole@gmail.com @kennyadewole