The South West Youth Alliance has said that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, is not overseeing a police force that is being fuelled by corruption due to the complete absence of statutory allocations for the first two quarters of this year.
Responding to a publication by Sahara Reporters titled “Zero Funding In 2025: Nigerian Police Commands Starved Of Funds Under Egbetokun, Forced To Extort Public For Survival,” SWYA Publicity Director Adenike Ajanlekoko said that police commands and departments are not running their offices and maintaining critical services on money obtained through extortion and other corrupt practices to keep police stations functioning.
“The publication is once again targeted at smearing the image of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Egbetokun, but they will always fail, as it is the duty of the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, through the National Assembly approval, that funds are released to the Nigeria Police.
“It is on record that in January 2025, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, called for the establishment of a Special Operations Account to fund emergency internal security operations. The IGP made the call during the 2025 budget defence before the Joint Committee on Police Affairs and Police Institutions.
“We recalled that the IGP explained that despite incremental progress, the appropriations and subsequent releases remained insufficient to meet the operational and institutional needs of the police force. He emphasised that, given the vast scope of their responsibilities and the critical nature of their mandate, the financial provisions were inadequate.
Ajanlekoko further said that IGP Egbetokun urged the Joint Committee on Police Affairs and Police Institutions to support the establishment and proper funding of this account in the 2025 budget cycle.
“Even though the police force faces persistent challenges, including inadequate funding, personnel shortages, and logistical constraints, all of which hinder its ability to combat crime effectively, IGP Kayode Egbetokun still maintained its noble mission of building a professionally competent, service-driven, and rule-of-law-compliant force, supporting government initiatives for economic recovery, growth, and social development, and embracing technology, intelligence-led policing, and community engagement,” the statement concluded.
