Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has pledged stronger collaboration with relevant national bodies in tackling crude oil theft and enhancing human rights compliance within the police force.
He made the commitment while receiving a high-powered delegation from the Senate Committee on Crude Oil Theft, led by its Chairman, Distinguished Senator Ned Nwoko, at the IGP Smart Conference Hall, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Senator Nwoko said the committee’s mandate is to ensure an end to crude oil theft so Nigeria can meet its oil production targets.
“This mandate cannot be achieved by the committee alone without robust collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, which is critical to combatting the theft of the nation’s crude oil,” he stated.
In response, the IGP expressed deep appreciation for the visit and reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to protecting critical national assets and holding perpetrators of economic sabotage accountable.
He assured the committee of the Police’s readiness to implement robust measures and leverage all available resources to support its mission. He also immediately directed the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police in charge of Operations and Force Intelligence to work closely with the committee in this regard.
In a separate engagement, a delegation from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), led by the Chairperson of the Commission’s Governing Council, Dr Salamatu Husaini Sulaiman, and the Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu met with the IGP to discuss mutual interests in enhancing human rights protection and police accountability.
The NHRC team emphasised the need to address human rights violations and enforce strict compliance with the Human Rights Act across policing operations.
Dr Ojukwu praised the IGP for swiftly addressing complaints from the public regarding misconduct by officers and for the disciplinary actions taken where necessary.
He also commended the recognition of SP Sentome Obi as the Police Officer of the Year 2024 and similar awards to others for their positive contributions to policing.
In his remarks, IGP Egbetokun expressed gratitude for the NHRC’s ongoing partnership with the Force.
“We value the collaboration we have with the NHRC,” he said, adding that human rights training had been integrated into all police training institutions to ensure officers operate in line with global best practices.
The Police Chief stressed that human rights are central to effective policing and affirmed the Force’s zero tolerance for arbitrary arrests, excessive use of force, and unlawful detentions.
“The Nigeria Police Force under my leadership frowns at any form of abuse. We are open to criticism and feedback, which we believe will help us improve our operations,” he stated.
PIAK