Tinubu Urges Young Police Officers to Shun Corruption

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has admonished young police officers to shun all forms of corruption and adhere to the ethics of modern policing in discharging their duties.

The President gave the charge at the graduation ceremony of 169 graduands of the Nigerian Police Academy, Wudil, in Kano State on Saturday, August 12.

Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kassim Shettima, urged the fresh officers to be professional in their duties to impact the country’s security architecture positively.

He also urged the officers to stay vigilant to the ideals of the Nigerian Police geared towards ensuring effective service delivery.

“You should have it in mind that Nigerians have high expectations of you; you must brace up to face the challenges ahead,” he said.

Tinubu also told the officers to put the nation at heart and handle their constitutional responsibility with utmost dedication and commitment.

The President also assured the young officers that the federal government would continue to support the Nigerian Police Academy, noting that it remains “one of the best training grounds for police officers in the sub-Saharan region.”

There are concerns that policing, which plays a vital role in maintaining law and order in any society, has lost the public trust and confidence in Nigeria.

Accordingly, public trust in the police seems low, as shown in various studies.

In a recent incident on Friday, August 10, the Osun State Police Command confirmed the arrest of some of its personnel for extorting commuters along the Ile-Ogbo-Iwo road in the state.

Also, a report on April 13, 2022, indicated how the United States (US) accused the Nigerian police, among other security agencies, of corruption and other unethical practices.

In a related development, the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, warned officers against corrupt tendencies damaging the image of the profession in the eyes of the public.

Egbetokun reportedly said this while he addressed officers and men of the Kano State Police Command on Friday, August 11.

Extolling the Nigerian police to be one of the finest in the world, the acting IGP, however, said police officers needed to be seen as above bribery and corruption.