THE TASK BEFORE TUNJI DISU

​​The removal of Kayode Egbetokun as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) marks the end of a tumultuous chapter defined by legal gymnastics over tenure extensions and a perceived stagnation in the war against insecurity. As Tunji Disu steps into the Louis Edet House, he inherits not just a police force, but a fractured institution suffering from a deep-seated crisis of legitimacy.​For the new IGP, the task is Herculean: he must pivot from the “police-centric” arrogance of the past toward a “citizen-centric” philosophy of the future.​The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has long been paralyzed by a promotion system often viewed as transactional rather than meritocratic. With 29 senior officers reportedly set to exit in this massive shake-up, Disu has a clean slate to build a leadership core based on competence.​The Agenda: Merit-Based Advancement: End the era of “godfatherism” in postings. ​Internal welfare reform is urgently needed.  Corruption in the police often starts at the bottom because of poor pay and dilapidated barracks. A hungry officer cannot be expected to protect a fed citizen.​The image of the NPF is currently defined in the public consciousness by the roadblock, the “checkpoint bribe,” and the high-handedness that birthed the 2020 #EndSARS protests. To the average Nigerian, the uniform is a symbol of dread, not safety. Disu must institutionalize immediate dismissal for officers involved in extrajudicial acts or extortion. ​The “Service” in Police Service must be purged. The force has to rebrand the force’s engagement rules. The police must transition from being a “Force” (coercion) to a “Service” (protection).​The greatest casualty of police corruption is information. In developed societies, policing is 80% intelligence and 20% kinetic action. In Nigeria, the reverse is true because citizens are afraid that providing information to the police will lead to their own victimization.​ Create secure, anonymous channels for citizens to report crimes without fear of their identity being leaked to the criminals. Secondly​Community Policing. The force need to move beyond the rhetoric of “Community Policing” and actually integrate traditional rulers, youth leaders, and local vigilantes into a formal, supervised information-sharing network.​Policing in the 21st century is data-driven. Developed societies rely on digital forensics, widespread CCTV integration, and rapid response systems.​Disu should leverage on digital forensics with his background in the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to modernize the NPF’s tracking and cyber-crime capabilities.​Body cameras should be made mandatory and the use of body-worn cameras for all officers on patrol to ensure accountability—a standard mechanism in effective global policing.​​The appointment of Tunji Disu—a man often described as a “cop’s cop” with a track record of professionalism—is perhaps the last chance to save the NPF from total irrelevance.​If Disu fails to address the corruption-plagued institutional decay, the police will remain a liability to the Nigerian state. If he succeeds in making the citizen a partner rather than a target, he will not only secure the nation but also write his name in the annals of history as the man who turned the “Black and Gold” into a badge of honour. The clock is ticking. The streets are watching._Dr. Oto’ Drama, PhD Counterterrorism, gsgvehshsvg@gmail.com_