By Lemmy Ughegbe, Ph.D
Every time Nigeria appoints a new Inspector General of Police, the country pauses, a mix of hope and scepticism. Citizens hope that new leadership will bring discipline to the ranks, professionalism to policing, and accountability to an institution at the centre of internal security.
Yet experience has repeatedly shown that changing the head of the police does not automatically change the culture of policing.
The appointment of Tunji Disu as the new Inspector General, therefore, comes at a moment when the Nigeria Police Force faces a challenge deeper than crime-fighting alone.
The real test of his leadership may well be whether he can restore public trust in an institution long troubled by allegations of corruption, extortion, abuse of authority and weak internal accountability.
For many Nigerians, encounters with police officers at checkpoints or stations are often accompanied by anxiety rather than reassurance.
Roadblocks that should enhance public safety have, in too many cases, become informal toll gates where motorists feel compelled to pay a fee before proceeding. Citizens recount stories of intimidation, arbitrary detention, and harassment in situations where the police should instead provide protection.
This reality is not merely anecdotal. It reflects a systemic problem that successive police leadership have struggled to confront decisively.
Recent incidents illustrate how deeply the problem has penetrated everyday policing. In several states, motorists have recorded encounters at checkpoints where officers openly negotiate “settlement” before allowing vehicles to proceed. Videos circulating online show drivers being told to “drop something for the weekend” before continuing their journey.
Along the Abuja-Lokoja highway, commuters frequently recount how routine police stops end with demands for small cash payments under the guise of checking vehicle papers, even when the documents are complete.
Encounters like these, repeated daily, gradually transform security checkpoints into what many Nigerians now cynically describe as informal toll gates.
Commercial drivers in cities such as Lagos, Port Harcourt and Onitsha narrate similar experiences. Refusal to offer money at roadside stops can lead to prolonged delays, intimidation or threats of arrest. These everyday interactions accumulate into a broader perception problem, reinforcing the belief that encounters with the police are more about negotiation than about enforcing the law.
The credibility crisis within the Nigerian Police Force reached a boiling point during the nationwide protests against the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad in 2020. What began as complaints about rogue officers quickly evolved into a national conversation about policing culture, accountability and human rights.
The protests were a painful reminder that public confidence in law enforcement had deteriorated dangerously.
Although the Special Anti-Robbery Squad was eventually disbanded, the deeper institutional problems that produced those abuses did not disappear overnight. Reforming policing culture requires more than dissolving units or reshuffling leadership. It demands accountability mechanisms that prevent abuse before it occurs.
One practical tool available to modern policing institutions is body-worn cameras.
In many parts of the world, body cameras have become a standard accountability tool for law enforcement. Officers wear small cameras attached to their uniforms that record interactions with the public during operations. These recordings create an objective record of events, protecting both citizens and police officers from false allegations while discouraging misconduct.
The logic is simple. When both sides of an encounter know their actions are being recorded, behaviour tends to improve.
Studies in the United States and parts of Europe show that body cameras significantly reduce complaints against police officers. Incidents involving the use of force often decline, and disputes over what occurred during police encounters become easier to resolve because evidence exists.
Body cameras also protect officers. When police conduct is lawful but misunderstood, recorded footage can quickly clarify events and prevent unfair accusations.
Nigeria’s policing challenges make such technology even more necessary.
Imagine a routine checkpoint encounter in which both the officer and the motorist know the interaction is being automatically recorded. The temptation for extortion diminishes. The fear of harassment has reduced. If a dispute arises, the footage provides clarity.
The presence of body cameras could therefore change the culture of everyday policing in subtle but powerful ways.
Critics may argue that Nigeria lacks the resources to deploy such technology widely. Yet the cost of inaction may be far greater. The erosion of public trust carries serious security consequences. When citizens distrust the police, they become less willing to cooperate with investigations or share intelligence.
Without community cooperation, effective policing becomes extremely difficult.
Body cameras alone will not eliminate corruption or misconduct. Technology cannot substitute for leadership, discipline and institutional reform. But it can serve as a powerful tool within a broader accountability framework.
For the new Inspector General, introducing pilot body camera programmes in high-interaction policing environments, such as patrol units, checkpoints, and traffic operations, could send a strong signal of commitment to transparency.
Clear operational guidelines must support such initiatives. Recordings should be securely stored. Officers should be required to activate cameras during official engagements with the public. Tampering with recordings must attract strict disciplinary consequences.
Equally important is the need for credible internal disciplinary systems. Citizens must see that misconduct is investigated and punished fairly. Without that assurance, even promising reforms may fail to rebuild trust.
There is also a welfare dimension that cannot be ignored.
Police corruption is often discussed solely as a moral failure. While personal responsibility remains essential, institutional conditions also matter. Poor salaries, inadequate housing, insufficient training and limited career support contribute to frustration within the ranks.
Improving welfare does not excuse misconduct, but it removes some of the pressures that can distort professional judgment.
Reforming policing in Nigeria, therefore, requires technology, discipline, welfare improvements and strong leadership.
The appointment of a new Inspector General provides an opportunity to revisit these questions with renewed seriousness.
Ultimately, the legitimacy of any police force rests not on the authority of its uniform but on the confidence of the people it serves. When citizens believe that law enforcement operates fairly and transparently, cooperation increases, and crime becomes easier to combat.
But when encounters with the police are defined by fear, suspicion and exploitation, the institution begins to lose moral authority.
Body cameras may appear like a small technological adjustment. Yet their symbolic value is enormous. They signal that policing is not merely about power but about accountability.
For Tunji Disu, the real test of leadership will not be how loudly the police command obedience, but how convincingly they earn the trust of the people they are sworn to protect.
Dr Lemmy Ughegbe, FIMC, CMC
Email: lemmyughegbeofficial@gmail.com
WhatsApp ONLY: +2348069716645
