By Adewole Kehinde

In the past few days, a video clip has been circulating online with the sensational caption: “Why We Did Not Arrest Bandits That Came For Peace Deal, IG Kayode Egbetokun.” As expected, the clip has generated debate, outrage, and, unfortunately, widespread misinterpretation.

I feel compelled to address this matter because I was physically present at that briefing. In fact, I was one of the journalists who questioned the Inspector General of Police on that very day.

I listened to him directly, without distortion or selective editing, and I can say without hesitation: the IGP is being misinterpreted, and the narrative being pushed online is misleading.

Voluntary surrender by bandits, terrorists, or armed groups is not an unlawful act. In fact, it is a globally recognised component of peace-building frameworks such as Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) programmes.

Many governments, including Nigeria’s, have at various times implemented amnesty windows or surrender programmes to encourage combatants to lay down their arms and reintegrate into society under state supervision.

What many do not seem to understand is that the act of surrender itself triggers a legal process. It is not a free pass. It is not an escape route. It is the beginning of accountability, not the end of it.

Surrender programmes are structured so that authorities can profile, document, interrogate, and process individuals who submit themselves. This approach has been used in the Niger Delta, in parts of the North-East, and in several conflict environments around the world.

These programmes are not invented by the police or by a single security chief. They are official government strategies, often involving state governments, federal ministries, security agencies, and even international partners.

When they are properly implemented, they are legitimate tools of conflict resolution intended to reduce violence, recover arms, weaken criminal networks, and restore stability.

This is the context in which the Inspector General spoke. He did not say bandits are above the law. He did not say they cannot be arrested. He did not say surrender grants immunity.

What he emphasised, and I recall this clearly,  is that when individuals come forward voluntarily under a government-approved peace or surrender programme, the state follows due process rather than resorting to instant arrest that could jeopardise ongoing negotiations or discourage further surrenders.

To twist this explanation into an endorsement of criminality is unfair, inaccurate, and damaging to public understanding of security operations.

In conclusion, the voluntary surrender of a bandit is a legal action within the framework of government-led peace and justice initiatives. It does not mean they are forgiven. It does not mean they walk away untouched.

It simply means they have elected to submit themselves to a structured legal and administrative process designed to end banditry and restore peace to affected communities.

It is time to focus on the facts, not distortions, in our collective quest for security and stability.

Adewole Kehinde is the publisher of Swift Reporters and can be reached via kennyadewole@gmail.com

By Adewole Kehinde

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to withdraw police personnel from Very Important Persons (VIPs) and replace them, where necessary, with officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has generated predictable debate.

Some praise it as a bold correction to long-standing abuse of police manpower, while others fear it may expose the country’s elite to greater security risks. Whatever one’s perspective, the consequences of this policy will be far-reaching.

1. Restoring the Police to Their Core Duties

For decades, the Nigeria Police Force has been trapped in an upside-down structure where thousands of its officers are deployed not for public safety but for the comfort of private individuals.

Politicians, businessmen, traditional rulers, and celebrities hold more officers than in many local government areas. Tinubu’s order directly confronts this distortion.

If implemented faithfully, it will help refocus the police on their constitutional mandate: protecting society, not a privileged few.

A police force that is present in communities, not estates and convoy formations, can respond faster to emergencies and build trust with citizens. The biggest beneficiaries of this reform may be ordinary Nigerians who have long complained of inadequate police presence.

2. Strengthening the NSCDC’s Relevance and Responsibility

Replacing police security details with Civil Defence personnel is both an empowerment strategy and a test for the NSCDC.

The Corps has grown steadily since its formal establishment in 2003, but it has often operated in the shadow of the police. This policy elevates its responsibilities and visibility.

However, with greater responsibility comes greater scrutiny. The NSCDC must prove that its officers are well-trained, disciplined, and capable of handling VIP protection. Any major lapse will not only embarrass the Corps but also raise questions about the wisdom of the new arrangement.

3. A Blow to Entitlement Culture

Nigeria’s elite class is accustomed to viewing police protection as a right rather than a privilege. Many VIPs may resist, complain, or attempt to circumvent the new policy. But the hard truth is that no nation can afford to assign state-funded security to private individuals at the expense of public safety.

Tinubu’s directive sends a clear message: public institutions do not exist to serve personal comfort. If VIPs require additional security, they can engage licensed private security companies, just like in developed democracies.

4. Pressure on the Police to Reform Internally

This policy could also force the Nigeria Police Force to confront an uncomfortable reality: the VIP protection model has been a lucrative corner for some officers.

Withdrawing these postings removes opportunities for unofficial allowances and benefits. It may cause internal resistance, but it could also reduce corruption and exploitation tied to “attached security” arrangements.

The police leadership must now strengthen training, recruitment, and deployment strategies to rebuild professionalism and public trust.

5. Potential Risks and Implementation Challenges

The success of this directive will depend on execution. Hasty withdrawal without adequate transition can create security gaps. Not all VIPs face the same level of threat, and some may genuinely require highly trained protection. Civil Defence officers must therefore undergo targeted training in:

• escort operations
• counter-ambush tactics
• firearms discipline
• conflict de-escalation
• convoy management

If these gaps are not addressed, the country may witness avoidable security breaches.

6. A Necessary Step Toward a Modern Security Architecture

Despite the concerns, Tinubu’s policy aligns with global best practice. In many countries, elite police protection is limited to a very small group of national officials. Police resources are not scattered around private individuals.

Nigeria’s security architecture has long needed restructuring. This move, if followed by broader reforms, could help create a more efficient, intelligent, and people-focused security system.

Conclusion: A Reform Worth Pursuing—But Carefully

President Tinubu’s withdrawal of police from VIPs and the reassignment of responsibilities to the Civil Defence Corps is not perfect, but it is a step in the right direction. It challenges entitlement, redistributes manpower, and allows the NSCDC to prove its value.

The consequences will be significant, both positive and negative, but the ultimate question is whether Nigeria wants a policing system built for public safety or for private privilege.

Reforms are never easy, but this one is necessary. How well it succeeds will depend on discipline, training, and sustained political will.

Adewole Kehinde is a public affairs analyst based in Abuja. Email: kennyadewole@gmail.com X:@kennyadewole

By Adewole Kehinde

Once again, Sahara Reporters has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to misinformation rather than responsible journalism.

Its latest publication, titled “EXCLUSIVE: Female Police Officers In Enugu Forced To Pay N5,000–N10,000 For 70th Nigerian Women Police Anniversary, Threatened With Transfers”, is nothing more than a fabricated tale designed to mislead the public and malign the Nigeria Police Force.

To begin with, Sahara Reporters must be reminded that the Nigeria Police Force does not circulate official or “internal memos” via WhatsApp, as the platform falsely insinuated.

The mere reliance on a WhatsApp message, an open, easily manipulated channel, is amateurish at best and deceptive at worst. No credible journalist should build an entire scandal around something anyone can create with a few clicks. This is junk journalism in its rawest form.

Furthermore, Sahara Reporters’ claim that female officers were compelled to pay N5,000 to N10,000 into a private account for the 70th Anniversary Celebration of the Nigeria Women Police is laughable to anyone familiar with the structure of police operations.

Programmes of such magnitude and national relevance do not involve payments into individual accounts. Procedures are transparent, institutional, and documented. Nothing goes into any personal account.

If Sahara Reporters insists on its claims, it should present the names, ranks, and verifiable statements of the officers allegedly “being enforced to pay”, not anonymous shadows. It should also provide evidence of the threats of “punitive transfers to remote or difficult terrains.” Until then, this allegation remains what it is: a figment of the reporter’s imagination.

As expected, Sahara Reporters also tried to hide under its favourite escape line: “Efforts to reach the police spokesperson were unsuccessful.” This lie has become a signature of the platform.

The Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, is one of the most accessible and responsive police PROs in the country. Reliable checks confirm that Sahara Reporters never contacted him on the so-called payment saga. None. Not by call, not by text, not by email. Their claim is, once again, a deliberate falsehood to give credibility to a baseless report.

Meanwhile, I commend the Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, for promptly directing the State Intelligence Department (SID) to launch a full-scale investigation to unmask those behind this malicious publication.

This is the kind of decisive leadership that strengthens institutional integrity and protects officers from media-instigated harassment.

Let it be clear: the public should completely disregard Sahara Reporters’ story. It is concocted, unverified, and crafted purely for sensationalism. Any female officer who may have made any payment based on such false WhatsApp messages is encouraged to step forward and support the ongoing investigation.

Sahara Reporters must be reminded that journalism is not an exercise in fiction or blackmail.

Before hitting the publish button, they are obligated to adhere to the fundamental rules of the profession: verification, fairness, accuracy, and legality.

Relying on WhatsApp gossip is not investigative journalism; it is an irresponsible practice unbecoming of any platform that claims credibility.

The Nigeria Police Force deserves constructive criticism when necessary, but it equally deserves protection from malicious misinformation.

It is time Sahara Reporters rose above reckless sensationalism and embraced the ethics that define true journalism.

Adewole Kehinde is a public affairs analyst based in Abuja. kennyadewole@gmail.com @kennyadewole