THE acting Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, has vowed to rid the police force of corruption, abuse of power and take necessary action against any form of misconduct from personnel.
Egbetokun, who stated this at the official handing over ceremony in Abuja, yesterday, noted that the need to tackle corruption and abuse of power within the system came on the heels of the prolonged public deep-rooted concerns and grievances against the police.
He said: “I acknowledge our citizen’s deep rooted concerns and grievances against the police. It is no secret that the Nigeria police force has faced its fair share of criticism in the past. Instances of misconduct, corruption and abuse of power have eroded public trust.
“I am before you today to declare that such behaviour will not be tolerated under my watch, and there will be proactive steps to instill discipline across the ranks.
“Accountability will be the cornerstone of my tenure as Inspector General of Police. I am committed to fostering a culture of professionalism, integrity and respect within the police force.
“We prioritise new ways of recruiting, training and equipping our officers to ensure they possess the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out their duties effectively, efficiently and with excellence and this will be to the admiration of the people we serve.
“To regain the trust of the Nigerians, we will establish a robust internal system to investigate allegations of misconduct within the police force.
“We will hold accountable those who betrayed the public trust in us, ensuring that they face the full force of the law. Additionally, we will actively promote a working culture that will encourage officers and citizens alike to report instances of corruption or abuse they may witness.
“Our police force will be a beacon of integrity. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of professionalism and ethics. Henceforth every police officer will be selected not only for their skills, but also for their passion, compassion and empathy and commitment to public service.”
He vowed to provide adequate national security for lives and property by putting in place feasible blueprints to commence sustainable and effective community policing.
“We will embark on an ambitious and visible program of community policing. We will recognize that the true measure of our success lies in the safety and well being of our communities. To achieve this, we will forge stronger ties between the police and the public.’’
On his part, the former IGP, Usman Baba, who officially handed over to Egbetokun, said since his appointment as IGP in 2021, he had “positively changed the policing narratives of the country by laying out a well-articulated vision and mission objectives which I promised would define my leadership.”
He explained that his vision was to modernize the environment which police operated across the country in order to make them befitting and fit-for-purpose.
“As I exit the leadership of the Force today (yesterday(), I believe I am leaving it better than I met it. I believe I have added value to policing in Nigeria.
‘’I hold the firm conviction that steady progress has been made in all the components of my promise to change policing narratives and in our journey to restore the dwindling police primacy within the internal security architecture of the country,” he added.
Source: Vanguard
