THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has issued a strong directive warning officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to stay away from land disputes and other civil cases, stressing that the Force will not serve as a tool for private business interests.
News Point Nigeria reports that in a video message posted on the Police Force’s official X handle on Thursday, the IGP condemned the practice of officers escorting parties to enforce land recoveries, describing it as illegal, unprofessional, and damaging to the integrity of the police.
“Let me reiterate without ambiguity: the Nigeria Police Force is not, and will never become, an enforcer for private interests. Officers have no business escorting parties for land recovery, disrupting legally existing occupations, or meddling in civil cases without a demonstrable criminal element,” Egbetokun said.
He warned that any officer found culpable would face strict disciplinary action, adding that such misconduct erodes the Force’s neutrality and opens it up to public disrepute.
The IGP also on Thursday inaugurated a nationwide training session for police operatives on the newly introduced Criminal Database Systems, which he described as the “nervous system of 21st century Nigerian policing.”
Speaking at the official launch in Abuja, Egbetokun declared that the programme marks a transition from reactive policing to proactive, intelligence-led operations anchored on data analysis and international integration.
“This training is more than an exercise; it is a declaration that the NPF has stepped into a new era. Without data, there is no memory. Without memory, there is no justice. But with data, there is no hiding place for criminals,” he said.
Egbetokun admitted that one of the biggest weaknesses of policing in Nigeria has been poor record-keeping, scattered files, and fragmented intelligence, often leading to stalled prosecutions and eroded public trust.
He vowed that the new system would end the era of “forgotten files.”
“With the support of the Federal Government and our partners, we are building a system where every arrest is recorded, every case is documented, and every officer is accountable. No case will vanish into forgotten files. No conviction will disappear into silence,” the IGP said.
The Police Chief also emphasized that the database would not only strengthen domestic law enforcement but also link Nigeria to global policing standards.
He said the new platform would integrate with INTERPOL, the African Union Border Programme, and UNODC frameworks, making it impossible for criminals convicted in Nigeria to escape justice abroad.
“When a trafficker is convicted in Nigeria, the world must know. When a weapon is seized at our borders, its trail must echo across continents,” he assured.
Egbetokun charged the first batch of officers undergoing training to see themselves as custodians of the nation’s crime data.
“Every case you enter, every record you preserve, every link you verify, will strengthen justice in our nation. You are not merely handling files; you are safeguarding the future,” he told them.
He stressed that accuracy and diligence could mean the difference between criminals walking free and justice being served.