By Prince Muyiwa Adejobi
In a country where encounters with the police often spark anxiety instead of assurance, it’s easy to adopt a hardened belief: Can anything good come out of the Nigeria Police? Much like the ancient scepticism about Nazareth, this doubt has evolved into a common national sentiment, one born of lived experiences, horror stories, and long-standing distrust.
But what if, amid this scepticism, a new kind of story emerges: one of kindness, professionalism, and grace under uniform? A tale not driven by coercion or corruption, but by compassion. Such was the moment shared recently on X by @Akinskickers, reminding us that good things can indeed come from “Jerusalem”.
The story begins in the early hours of the morning, with a young man and his mother stranded on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. He was driving her to the airport when his car unexpectedly broke down. Desperate not to miss her flight and with time slipping away, he managed to flag down a passing towing van, which was kind enough to move their car to a safer location and even called a mechanic to help diagnose the problem.
But as the sun rose, so did his anxiety. They were stuck in the middle of nowhere. His mother’s flight hung in the balance. Worse still, he had no cash on hand to pay the mechanic. In that moment, fear crept in, not just from the isolation or the ticking clock but from the helplessness of being stranded with his mother without a clear way out.
Then, something unexpected happened. An angel arrived, but not with wings. This one wore a police uniform and answered to the name Yusuf. Without hesitation or suspicion, Officer Yusuf stepped in and covered the initial cost of the mechanic’s repairs. The mechanic had left to obtain necessary supplies for the vehicle’s repair and was taking up so much time that the officer found someone to take the woman to the airport at no extra cost. He refused reimbursement, insisting it was nothing. Yet his kindness didn’t stop there. He followed up later that day, not out of obligation but out of genuine concern, wanting to know if the young man’s mother had made her flight safely.
In a similar situation in January 2025, a team of Police Officers, while on patrol, encountered a stranded citizen whose vehicle had run out of fuel at the Cement Bus Stop, Lagos–Abeokuta Highway, at about 4 AM. The patrol team assisted her with 5 litres of fuel, which would be sufficient for her to get to the nearest filling station before continuing their patrol.
These encounters are not rare; they are just not always noticed. The Policing system, although designed to be fair, its complexity has led to inequities in how its officers are viewed. These officers stood out like a light in a dim tunnel. They embodied what policing should be: service and protection. Just as four officers on patrol duty on the Yola-Jalingo Road in Taraba State, who flagged down a vehicle as part of their duties and identified that its occupants were criminals who chose to buy their freedom from the officers by offering them a bribe amounting to 8.5 million naira. However, the officers chose to reject the bribe and arrested the suspects instead. Both the suspects and the bundles of cash were taken to the police station to face legal consequences.
In those moments, these officers challenged everything many believe about the Nigeria Police. They gave a face to honour in uniform and reminded us that institutions, no matter how broken, are still made up of many individuals who can choose differently.
This narrative, like a drop in an ocean, carries weight. It tells us that humanity still exists in unlikely places and that perhaps we need to look for it more often, amplify it, and celebrate louder when we find it.
Not too long ago, in January 2021, DSP Faith Okwuego Ejoh, a Policewoman serving in Delta State, decided to put compassion before duty alone. She had discovered a young girl who would have missed her final examinations because she was unable to pay for her school fees. DSP Ejoh was moved by her cries and decided not only to cover the girl’s tuition but also the tuition for 18 other students who faced the same issues, giving them all a chance at a better future.
She reminded us all, without cameras or cheers, that the uniform she wore was about service to humanity, not simply law enforcement. Her unspoken generosity spoke loudly in a society that is too quick to pass judgement. She not only paid for dreams but also protected them.
Another Officer, SP Obi Sentome, is a shining example of what integrity in policing looks like. As the head of the Zone 16 Financial and Cybercrime Unit, he has consistently upheld the core values of professionalism, accountability, and ethical conduct. In an environment where officers are often faced with pressure, compromise, or temptation, SP Obi has built a reputation for being uncompromising in the face of corruption, with his conduct reflecting a deep personal commitment to justice and aligning with the Nigeria Police Force’s broader mission to rebuild public trust through transparency and principled service.
He had led his team on an operation in December 2024, in Rivers State, where three suspects involved in ritual killings, drug trafficking, and cyber fraud were arrested. In the course of the investigation, the suspects attempted to bribe SP Obi with $17,000 in cash. He flatly rejected the offer, registered the money as evidence, and ensured it would be presented in court. These exemplary actions bagged him the Integrity Award and the award for the Police Officer of the Year at the recently held Police Awards & Recommendations Night
Prince Muyiwa Adejobi, a Public Relations Practitioner and Conflict Manager, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. E-mail: princemoye@gmail.com
