The Civic Alliance for Security Accountability (CASA) has strongly condemned what it calls a coordinated campaign of calumny against the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, urging Nigerians to disregard all unfounded attacks on his person and leadership.
In a statement on May 30, the President of CASA, Charles Egbunike, described the attacks as part of a broader agenda to discredit not just the IGP but also President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under whose administration Egbetokun was appointed.
“These campaigns are not only malicious but deliberately designed to create instability,” Egbunike said. “Those behind them are not just attacking the IGP; they are using him as a tool to hit at the President. This is because of the IGP’s long-standing association with President Tinubu, dating back to when he served as his Chief Security Officer during Tinubu’s tenure as Governor of Lagos State two decades ago.”
According to the group, the real masterminds behind the smear campaign are disgruntled elements who lost out following the IGP’s recent reforms aimed at sanitising the system, especially his decision to implement the position of the law and the Police Service Commission on retirement age and service years. These individuals, who are angry over the unalloyed support Egbetokun enjoys from the President and the members of the Nigeria Police Force, Egbunike said, are now collaborating with unscrupulous figures in the online media space who have been paid to do a hatchet job.
“These individuals prospered under a corrupt system and are now resentful because Inspector General Egbetokun has put an end to that era of impunity and unprofessional conduct. They are using faceless online platforms and questionable media outlets to spread lies and cast doubt on the IGP’s credibility. Very soon, we will start revealing the people behind this campaign, including a retired Senior Police officer who is unhappy about the way he left office. We will also expose those paying for online attacks meant to weaken the police and, by extension, the government. This is not just an attack on one man; it is an attempt to undermine national security. We will not let that happen,” Egbunike said.
Speaking alongside Egbunike, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Idris Dauda Dabban, described IGP Egbetokun as a truly professional, hardworking, humble and forward-thinking officer whose leadership is shaping a more disciplined and professional Nigerian Police Force, as he advises those who are attacking him for their myopic, selfish reasons to desist from it.
AIG Dabban (rtd), who was a coursemate of Egbetokun at the Police Academy and later served closely with him, gave personal insights into the character and work ethic of the country’s top cop.
“IGP Egbetokun is a very humble, selfless, courageous and hardworking officer,” Dabban said. “He’s someone who listens, interacts well with people, and genuinely cares about getting the job done.”
Their connection goes way back, not just as coursemates but also as close colleagues posted to the same units and living in the same police barracks. According to Dabban, that experience gave him a front-row view of the IGP’s drive, care for the people and passion for duty.
“After we left the academy, we were both posted back to Lagos. We served in the same unit and even lived in the same barracks at Satellite Police Barracks. I can confidently say I know him very well,” Dabban recalled.
“He’s always ahead, very proactive, never reactive. He doesn’t tolerate anything that goes against the ethics of the Force. He’s very forward-looking, passionate about the job and holds himself and others to high standards. I can say Nigerians are lucky to have this kind of incorruptible cop as their IGP.
“He’s a nationalist, he is never tribalistic or considers religious sentiment. For him, it’s all about the job, work, work, and more work. He’s fully committed to building a better police force that I am certain about.”
Speaking in a similar vein, the Secretary-General of CASA, Emamode Peters, praised IGP Egbetokun for the positive changes he is bringing to the Force.
According to him, Egbetokun is not only a strong leader but also a highly educated officer who brings deep knowledge and discipline into policing.
He said, “One thing I admire most about the IGP is his work ethic. He drives his subordinates hard because he believes in results. Laziness and unprofessional conducts have no place under his leadership. I have personally observed that he leads from the front; he works round the clock, comes to the office early, and spends more than 14 hours in the office daily, and I also know that most days he does not go to bed until 4 am. Because he continues with meetings and work at home. I marvelled at how he attends to the deluge of work and files on his table and he does all of that with vigour and professionalism”.
