Law Enforcement, Human Rights and the New Nigeria Police Force: IGP Tunji Disu’s Approach
By Omooba Olumuyiwa Adejobi
Generally, law enforcement is a difficult task in any nation, particularly a complex and developing country like Nigeria. The country is diverse in its demographic composition, geography, religion, culture, language and socioeconomic realities. These complexities, coupled with public distrust and varying perceptions of authority, make policing a demanding responsibility requiring professionalism, patience, discipline and a sound understanding of the rule of law.
In Nigeria, the relationship between law enforcement and human rights has remained a subject of public debate. While the police are constitutionally entrusted with protecting lives, property and public order, allegations of unlawful arrest, extortion, excessive use of force and other forms of misconduct continue to raise concerns about police accountability. The challenge before the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), upon assuming office, was how to build a Police Force capable of combating criminality without violating the rights of the citizens it is established to protect.
Law enforcement and human-rights protection are not opposing responsibilities; they are complementary obligations in a democratic society. The armed robber who deprives another person of safety and property violates that person’s rights. The rapist who assaults a victim violates human dignity and personal security, while the kidnapper who unlawfully deprives a person of liberty commits a grave violation of the victim’s rights. Police officers who lawfully intervene to prevent these crimes and bring perpetrators to justice perform an essential duty in protecting human rights.
However, the legitimate responsibility of the police does not confer unlimited powers on their personnel. A suspect does not lose the right to dignity and fair treatment because of an allegation of criminal conduct. Arrests, searches, interrogations and detention must be conducted within the ambit of the law. Torture, extortion, arbitrary detention and unnecessary force cannot be justified in the name of law enforcement.
Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights expressly provides that “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” Similarly, American civil rights leader Dr Martin Luther King Jr., in his historic *Letter from Birmingham Jail* of April 16, 1963, declared: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Sections 34, 35 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, protect the dignity of the human person, personal liberty and the right to fair hearing. The Nigeria Police Act, 2020, also provides a statutory framework for the protection of human rights and the lawful treatment of suspects. These provisions leave no room for the argument that an officer’s duty to investigate crime overrides the fundamental rights of a suspect.
The real issue, therefore, is not whether the police should enforce the law, but whether they can do so professionally, lawfully and without abusing their authority. A responsible police institution must protect citizens from criminals while protecting them from unlawful conduct by its own officers. Neither responsibility should be sacrificed for the other.
Nigerians will not easily forget the #EndSARS protests of October 2020, which brought longstanding grievances over police brutality, particularly the alleged excesses of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), into national and international focus. What began as protests against alleged abuses developed into a broader movement demanding an end to police brutality, greater accountability and comprehensive reform of the Nigeria Police Force.
The #EndSARS experience demonstrated that public confidence cannot be sustained merely through the possession of authority or the ability to use force. The legitimacy of a police institution also rests on its ability to exercise its powers lawfully, treat citizens with dignity and hold erring personnel accountable.
It is against this background that the leadership of the 23rd indigenous Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc(+), NPM, deserves recognition for its stated emphasis on professionalism, discipline, accountability and rebuilding public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force.
Since assuming office, IGP Disu has emphasised a people-oriented approach to policing, recognising that effective law enforcement must address both major crimes and the everyday concerns of citizens. His administration’s engagement with civil society, emphasis on ending impunity and commitment to strengthening accountability mechanisms reflect an approach that seeks to make policing more responsive and service-driven.
In April 2026, the Nigeria Police Force reported an engagement between the IGP and civil society representatives, including human-rights advocate Femi Falana, SAN, and other stakeholders concerned with governance, accountability and police reform. According to the Force’s official account, discussions addressed compliance with the Police Act, 2020, the rights of suspects, police accountability, officer welfare and improvements to complaint-handling mechanisms.
At the engagement, the IGP reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to people-centred policing through community engagement and indicated that reforms would include updated training manuals, improved personnel welfare and stronger accountability through the Complaint Response Unit and Monitoring Unit.
According to Premium Times of April 17, 2026, the IGP’s representative conveyed the message: “I have heard the cries of many Nigerians, and we are presently putting a lot together to ensure that this administration, moving forward, ends impunity in our nation.”
The engagement was significant because it brought police leadership into direct conversation with stakeholders who have long advocated stronger safeguards against misconduct. The challenge remains to ensure that the concerns expressed by Nigerians translate into appropriate institutional action.
A significant component of the IGP’s approach is the Police Complaint Response Unit (CRU), which provides members of the public with an avenue to report alleged extortion, unlawful arrest, harassment and other forms of police misconduct. Strengthening this mechanism is important to ensuring that citizens have accessible channels through which their grievances can receive appropriate attention.
The Monitoring Unit also plays a role in internal supervision, monitoring compliance with operational standards and identifying conduct inconsistent with professional expectations. Where recurring complaints expose weaknesses within a particular formation or unit, the response should extend beyond individual culpability to examining supervision, training, operational procedures and command responsibility.
Accountability is not limited to punishing officers after misconduct has occurred. It also encompasses preventive supervision, proper documentation, institutional learning and the correction of practices that create opportunities for abuse. At the same time, allegations must be investigated impartially, officers must be afforded the opportunity to respond, and disciplinary decisions must be based on established facts. Firmness against misconduct and fairness in disciplinary proceedings are complementary requirements of credible police reform.
The Nigeria Police Act, 2020, provides the statutory foundation for these efforts. Section 4 identifies the protection of people’s rights and freedoms, the maintenance of public safety and the promotion of community partnership among the functions of the Police Force. Its provisions on arrest, the rights of suspects and humane treatment further reinforce the principle that law enforcement must itself remain lawful.
Command responsibility is central to implementing these standards. Commissioners of Police, area commanders and divisional police officers must translate the IGP’s policy direction into operational practice through effective supervision, compliance with established procedures and appropriate responses to complaints of misconduct.
Police performance should not be assessed solely by the number of arrests made, exhibits recovered or suspects charged to court. The methods through which operational results are achieved matter just as much. An operation that produces arrests but is marred by unlawful detention, torture or unnecessary force cannot be regarded as an unqualified success.
Professional training and retraining are also among the key objectives of the IGP Disu-led administration. At the recently concluded Conference and Retreat for Senior Managers of the Force, held in Owerri under the theme “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections,” the IGP invited retired senior police officers to deliver lectures and share their experience with serving managers on discharging their responsibilities before, during and after elections.
Human-rights principles must remain embedded in police education, operational procedures and performance assessment. Officers require continuous instruction on lawful arrest and detention, interrogation safeguards, the use of force, conflict de-escalation and the treatment of vulnerable persons. They must also understand lawful investigative alternatives, evidence-based interviewing techniques and the consequences of violating established safeguards.
Public education is equally important to strengthening relations between the police and citizens. In his opening remarks, the IGP stated: “My top priority is to make my men know the citizens are the BOSS.”
Citizens need to understand their rights and responsibilities, just as officers must understand the limits of their powers. Public awareness programmes, particularly through Nigeria Police Radio and other social media platforms, community outreach and accessible information on complaint procedures, can help citizens understand how to seek redress and cooperate with lawful investigations.
Police communication platforms also provide opportunities to explain arrest procedures, the rights of suspects, lawful police powers and channels for reporting misconduct. Ignorance of the law, cultural misconceptions and disregard for lawful authority can complicate police operations, but they cannot excuse abuse by either citizens or officers.
The National Human Rights Commission, the Police Service Commission, the courts and other relevant oversight institutions remain important partners in the accountability framework. Their respective mandates must be respected, and cooperation with the Nigeria Police Force should facilitate credible investigations, appropriate remedies for victims and lawful consequences where misconduct is established. Internal discipline remains indispensable, but it does not replace independent scrutiny or prosecution where required by law.
The relationship between human rights and the rule of law was also emphasised by former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who observed in a 1999 address that “the most successful nations today are those built on the principle of respect for human rights and the rule of law.” This principle remains relevant to policing in Nigeria, where institutional legitimacy depends on the fairness, restraint and integrity with which authority is exercised.
The CRU, the Monitoring Unit, engagement with civil society and the existing legal framework are complementary elements of an accountability system. Their effectiveness, however, depends on how they contribute to better supervision, fairer treatment of citizens and credible responses to allegations of misconduct.
The value of these efforts should be reflected in observable improvements in police-citizen relations and complaint handling. Citizens should be able to report abuses without fear of intimidation or retaliation; suspects should be treated with dignity; victims should have access to justice; and officers who violate the law should face appropriate consequences following due process.
Under IGP Tunji Disu, the Nigeria Police Force is pursuing a reform direction that places professionalism, accountability and respect for human rights at the centre of its institutional responsibilities. The administration’s engagement with civil society, emphasis on ending impunity and reliance on complaint and monitoring mechanisms demonstrate the importance attached to these objectives.
Sustaining progress remains a shared responsibility. Government must provide the necessary resources and welfare support; police officers must uphold professional standards; oversight institutions must discharge their mandates without fear or favour; citizens must cooperate with lawful enforcement; and civil society must continue to encourage accountability and constructive engagement.
IGP Tunji Disu’s reform direction deserves support because it advances the objective of a Police Force that is more professional, accountable and respectful of human dignity. The lasting success of these initiatives, however, depends on their consistent application by personnel at every level.
The progress of reform is reflected in the officer who conducts an arrest lawfully, the investigator who chooses credible evidence over coercion, the commander who addresses misconduct rather than concealing it, and the police formation that treats every complaint with seriousness and fairness.
A strong police force is not one that exercises power without restraint, but one that enforces the law with courage, professionalism, fairness and respect for human rights. That is the standard Nigeria must demand and the enduring measure by which the new policing direction under IGP Tunji Disu should be assessed.
The true strength of the Nigeria Police Force will not be measured only by its ability to arrest criminals, but also by its commitment to upholding the law, protecting human dignity and earning the trust of the people.
Adejobi is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. He writes from Oba Adejobi’s House, Orile Owu, Osun State, Nigeria.
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