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By Goli Innocent
Former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has alleged that influential individuals are behind sustained attacks against him following reforms he introduced during his tenure aimed at sanitising the Nigeria Police Force.
Speaking on challenges he faced while in office, Egbetokun said one of the earliest issues his administration confronted was the widespread falsification of service records by some officers seeking to illegally extend their years in service.
According to him, investigations revealed that certain officers paid money to manipulate their official records so they could remain in the Force beyond the statutory retirement period.
“I didn’t just stop the practice. We identified those involved and forwarded their names to the Police Service Commission for disciplinary action. They were subsequently removed from the system,” he said.
The former police boss also recalled a dispute involving a group of cadet officers who attempted to rely on a judgment of the National Industrial Court to justify remaining in service.
Egbetokun said further investigations later showed that the court decision was based on a signal purportedly issued from the Office of the Force Secretary and transmitted through the Sokoto State Command.
However, he disclosed that the signal was later discovered to be fabricated.
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“Our findings confirmed that no such signal emanated from the Office of the Force Secretary. Even the version said to have come through the Sokoto Command and presented in court was fake,” he explained.
The discovery, he added, was forwarded to the Police Service Commission, which took disciplinary action against officers involved in the scheme.
Egbetokun maintained that his insistence on enforcing internal discipline distinguished his leadership, noting that the police cannot effectively enforce the law if discipline is lacking within its own ranks.
He further alleged that some wealthy individuals affected by the disciplinary measures had been pooling resources to sponsor media campaigns aimed at discrediting him.
The former IGP also accused some senior officers who opposed amendments to the Nigeria Police Act which enabled him to serve a four-year tenure of joining efforts to damage his reputation.
Egbetokun equally alleged that elements linked to the Take It Back Movement, associated with organisers of the End Bad Governance protests, sustained negative narratives against him and the police.
Despite the controversies, he said he remained focused on advancing policing reforms.
“In spite of the media attacks, I stayed focused. I am proud of what we achieved in advancing policing in the interest of the silent majority of Nigerians,” he said.
