Deji Adeyanju calls on Tinubu to sack IGP Egbetokun over police abuse and corruption

DDM News

(DDM) –  Human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately sack the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over what he describes as widespread rot, abuse of office, and systemic failure within the Nigeria Police Force.

In an open letter made public on Wednesday, Adeyanju accused the police leadership of weaponising the Force to suppress dissent, intimidate critics, and settle personal scores.

He warned that the integrity of the institution has been eroded under the current IGP’s watch, with the Force now perceived as an enforcer of political interests rather than a neutral upholder of justice.

DDM gathered that Adeyanju’s letter also highlighted the deteriorating welfare conditions of officers, citing poor remuneration, inadequate housing, outdated equipment, and the general neglect of police personnel.

According to him, the recent protests by aggrieved policemen were symptoms of deep-rooted frustration, stemming from what he called “inhumane service conditions.”

Adeyanju condemned what he described as a culture of nepotism and ethnic bias in police promotions, where merit is allegedly disregarded in favour of political and tribal affiliations.

He called on President Tinubu to appoint a new police chief who embodies professionalism, constitutional order, and respect for human rights.

“With utmost respect for the office you occupy, I write to draw your attention to the deepening rot within the Nigeria Police Force,” Adeyanju wrote.

He warned that the situation, if left unchecked, could completely destroy public confidence in the institution.

He said under Egbetokun’s leadership, the civic space has shrunk dramatically, with peaceful protesters, activists, and dissenting voices now facing routine intimidation and arrest.

“Peaceful expression, association, and lawful dissent are now treated with suspicion or outright hostility,” the letter read.

Adeyanju described the Force as compromised and weaponised, warning that it is no longer viewed as an impartial enforcer of the law.

He added that police officers now operate in humiliating conditions, with morale at an all-time low, further undermining their capacity to serve the public with dignity.

DDM reports that this call comes just one day after activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, was detained by police under the orders of IGP Egbetokun.

Sowore had honoured an invitation at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, only to be held for hours in what lawyers described as an illegal act of harassment.

One of his lawyers, Marshal Abubakar, accused Egbetokun of turning himself into judge and jury by orchestrating Sowore’s arrest over a petition reportedly filed by the same police unit investigating the case.

Speaking to reporters, Abubakar labelled the police action under Egbetokun as highhanded, illegal, and a direct assault on Nigeria’s constitutional freedoms.

The recent events have sparked renewed public outcry over rising authoritarian tactics by the police and the urgent need for institutional reforms.

Adeyanju’s letter is the latest in a growing chorus of voices demanding accountability, transparency, and professionalism in Nigeria’s security architecture.

Observers say the President now faces a crucial decision on whether to defend the status quo or heed calls for a total overhaul of police leadership.

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