Officers have been cautioned by Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), to avoid civil cases or land disputes that do not clearly implicate criminal elements.
Nigeria Police officers would no longer act as enforcers for private interests, Egbetokun said in a statement on Thursday.
He pointed out that becoming embroiled in such issues compromises the force’s reputation and impartiality.
“The Nigeria Police Force has never been and will never be an enforcer of private interests,” he declared.
“Officers have no business interfering in civil claims without a proven criminal component, escorting parties for land recovery business, or disturbing legally permitted occupations.”
He went on to say that any officer who was discovered to have gone beyond this point would be disciplined.
A statewide training program for police officers on the recently implemented Criminal Database Systems, which he referred to as the “nervous system of 21st century Nigerian policing,” was also launched by Egbetokun.
A change from reactive policing to proactive, intelligence-led operations founded on data analysis and international collaboration is signaled by the launch, which was held in Abuja.
This training is a statement that the NPF has entered a new age, not just a drill. Memory does not exist without data. Justice cannot exist in the absence of remembrance. However, with data, criminals have nowhere to hide,” Egbetokun continued.
The IGP recognized that Nigerian policing has long been beset by flaws such as disorganized files, fractured information, and poor record-keeping, which frequently lead to blocked prosecutions and eroded public confidence.
He promised that the “forgotten files” era will come to an end with the new system.
“We are creating a system where every arrest is tracked, every case is documented, and every officer is held accountable with the help of the Federal Government and our partners. No case will be lost to the archives. Silence won’t erase any conviction,” he declared.
According to Egbetokun, the database will improve domestic law enforcement and bring Nigeria into compliance with international policing norms.
