OPINION: The Police We Want and The Police We Have by Lanre Olagunju
Summary: Why Nigeria’s conversation about policing must go beyond criticism and confront the realities of support, funding and public responsibility. By Lanre Olagunju When Nigerians talk about the police, the conversation is often driven by frustration. Stories of misconduct, slow responses, poor investigations, and security failures understandably dominate public discourse. Citizens want a police force that is professional, accountable, efficient and capable of tackling the country’s complex security challenges. But beneath these expectations lies a difficult question: have we built the conditions that make such a police force possible? Since assuming office as Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu has attempted to project a different tone. An emphasis on intelligence-led policing, accountability, welfare and operational effectiveness has marked his early months in office. Across several states, police operations have led to the arrest of suspected kidnappers, terrorists, armed ...