- Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun called Nigeria's criminal justice system "weak" and "sick," adding that police is not to be solely blamed
- Nigerians criticised the IGP’s statement, with some suggesting the police are at the center of the criminality
- TheRadar compiled some of the public reactions below
Nigerians have reacted following the recent statement by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, who described the country’s criminal justice system as “weak,” “sick,” and in need of a complete overhaul.
Egbetokun, speaking at the 2024 Annual Lecture/Award Ceremony organised by the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) on Thursday, December 5, emphasised that the police should not be blamed for the state of the system.
“Police is not the only pillar or stakeholder in the criminal justice system in this country. We have challenges, we accept, but we will try our best to make sure we have a better system.
“All of us must come together to help perfect criminal justice or justice system administration in Nigeria. If this system is working well; it is going to affect you, it is going to us,” Egbetokun stated.
Nigerians react to Egbetokun’s statement
This has sparked debate across the nation, with many Nigerians criticising the IGP’s statements. TheRadar compiled some of the public reactions below:
“Just resign if the police can’t be the change or solution to the problem. Why continue feeding off taxpayers’ money monthly without delivering results?,” Kpapkando stated.?
“If our judiciary is clean and free of corruption, we can sanitise the rest of the country,” Gregs reacted.
“Why won't the Police be blamed? Is the Police not the one aiding the criminality? In fact the Police is suspected to be at the centre of it,” Unwana Assam added.,
“Your boys are tiffs. They keep extorting young boys on the road. Do something about it or it’s war ⚔️⚔️⚔️. Don’t let the youth start buying guns,” Silva Nimi reacted.
“Men of double standards. But na your men dem dey use. Abi you no dey approve their movement. They use police from Ekiti to Lagos. For civil case hope you are not aware,” Safety Andy Best reacted.
“Go away jare! What good have you done since your appointment,” Dr Daily Tips reacted.
“Police are part of it and even worst,” Mark Lander added.
Police commissioner defends Dele Farotimi’s arrest over alleged cyberbullying, defamation
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale, defended the arrest of human rights activist Dele Farotimi for alleged cyberbullying and defamation charges.
Farotimi’s arrest sparked widespread criticism from figures like Akin Osuntokun and Omoyele Sowore, accusing the police of overreach and abuse of power.