From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Executive director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjani, has issued an urgent call for Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to restore the dignity and professionalism of the Nigerian Police Force.
Speaking in view of the Financing for Development in Nigeria with Sectoral Context and Insights for the Fourth International Conference on Financing For Development (2025), scheduled to take place at the FIBES Sevilla Exhibition and Conference Centre in Sevilla, Spain, from June 30 to July 3, 2025, Rafsanjani highlighted the widespread problem of police extortion, harassment and corruption undermining public trust and security in Nigeria.
The CISLAC boss described the current state of the police as deeply troubling, saying, “Every street we go in Abuja, you see roadblocks. And what are they doing? They are do nothing but collecting money.” He condemned the routine harassment that motorists and citizens face at checkpoints, where refusal to pay bribes often results in intimidation or unlawful detention.
He lamented the misuse of police resources, stating, “Ungoverned spaces are all over in the country where they need the services of our security men…but our policemen are following singers, ordinary singers, local singers, yahoo-yahoo boys. Why should we be using our limited resources in the police to be guarding people who are doing their personal and private thing?” Rafsanjani urged the IGP to “redeem the dignity of Nigerian police by stopping these policemen following these so-called singers, those Nollywood (actors).”
He stressed that restoring the police’s dignity must start with improved recruitment and better working conditions. “If you carry people who are not valuable enough, who don’t value themselves, they will come and be carrying bags,” he said, criticising the current low morale and poor discipline among officers.
He also highlighted the need to end the culture of extortion and abuse, calling on the police leadership to “restore the dignity and end impunity of the Nigerian police.”
He warned against the police being perceived as “hooligans” or indistinguishable from criminals, noting, “Some of them don’t even wear shoes, they wear slippers, and put on one police face cap or t-shirt of police and carry arms. Then how can you differentiate between the criminals and the people that are supposed to be policemen and women?”
Rafsanjani’s concerns echo recent reports and public outcry over police extortion nationwide. Civil society groups and activists have documented billions of naira extorted at police roadblocks, particularly in the South-East, where a civil rights organization reported ₦15 billion was seized by police in just two months.
Social media users have shared harrowing accounts of being forced to pay bribes under threat of detention or violence on major highways.
The “Take It Back Movement,” a civic group mobilizing against police brutality and extortion, has staged protests demanding an end to these abuses.
In light of these challenges, Rafsanjani made a direct appeal: “I am calling on the Inspector General of Police to, please, restore the dignity of Nigerian police by stopping these police officers. We need to restore the dignity of the Nigerian police. Nigerian police should not be treated like beggars. That is what Nigerian police do.”
He urged the IGP to end the “shame of extortion,” emphasising that “if the Nigerian police don’t have enough budget, we will help them advocate in the National Assembly so that appropriate budgets are given to them to improve the conditions of the police so that they can upgrade them and also the recruitment should be greatly upgraded so that they can really serve the people.”
Rafsanjani linked the restoration of police dignity to Nigeria’s broader development challenges, stating, “Security is very important. If you don’t have security, you don’t have peace.”
He lamented the normalization of violence and insecurity in Nigeria, contrasting it with other countries where even small numbers of deaths prompt national outrage.
He concluded with a call for urgent reform and accountability, emphasizing that “We cannot continue in that direction,” and urging all stakeholders to work together to end corruption and build a police force that protects and serves Nigerians with honour.