A former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has issued a scathing indictment of the Nigerian government over its gross neglect of police welfare, decrying the abysmal N30,000 monthly allocation to police divisions and the dehumanizing conditions in which officers are forced to live—including sleeping inside abandoned exhibit vans.
Appearing on News Central TV’s Breakfast Central programme, Owoseni did not hold back his fury as he highlighted the shameful reality faced by Nigeria’s police officers. He described a system that underfunds its protectors yet has the audacity to ridicule their appearance and effectiveness.
> “You have a Divisional Police Officer—say in Ikeja—responsible for a massive area, and what he’s given to run that division monthly is just N30,000. To do what, exactly?” he asked, visibly exasperated.
Owoseni painted a chilling picture of systemic abandonment, where officers are deployed from remote northern states like Jigawa to urban centres like Ikorodu in Lagos, only to be left without accommodation or welfare support.
> “Where is he supposed to stay? He ends up sleeping inside exhibit vehicles at the station. That’s the Nigeria Police Force today. And yet, our leaders come out shamelessly to say police officers smell.”
He continued, “That constable you ridicule wakes up inside a van, bathes with sachet water because he has no access to basic facilities, no family around, no help. How can you expect dignity, discipline, or morale from such conditions?”
The retired commissioner didn’t stop at just exposing the rot—he also addressed the broader debate on state policing, stressing that the real issue is not control, but logistics and welfare.
> “When you look at police in America or the UK, they look fit, confident, and ready. Why? Because the tools and resources are available. That’s what we’re missing here—it’s not about who commands the police; it’s about whether they are equipped and motivated.”
Owoseni’s emotional outburst echoes a long-standing crisis. The Nigerian Police Force has, for years, suffered from chronic underfunding, outdated infrastructure, poor remuneration, and a systemic lack of political will to reform.
A 2023 report by the CLEEN Foundation revealed that most police divisions in Nigeria lack basic essentials like operational vehicles, radio communications, fuel, and even stationery. Officers are often forced to use their own money or beg from community members just to carry out basic duties.
The situation is even more tragic for retired officers. Many have gone years without receiving their pensions or gratuities, prompting a coalition of retirees to plan a nationwide protest in Abuja and across the country, demanding their entitlements and respect for their service.
In reaction to Owoseni’s damning revelations, human rights activist and founder of the #RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore, threw his weight behind the embattled officers.
He accused the current Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, of orchestrating a campaign of fear to prevent officers—particularly retirees—from participating in the upcoming demonstrations.
> “Illegal IGP Egbetokun and his team are spreading propaganda to scare police officers from organising and joining the protest. Don’t fall for it,” Sowore warned in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday.
He shared a video of Owoseni’s interview and added, “You can’t run a police force without equipment, tools, motivation, incentives, and proper remuneration and expect miracles.”
Owoseni’s remarks come at a crucial time when calls for holistic police reform are growing louder. Reform advocates argue that beyond legislative restructuring, there must be a fundamental change in how officers are treated—from recruitment to retirement.
Unless Nigeria addresses the root causes of police inefficiency—poor funding, subhuman living conditions, lack of tools, and nonexistent post-service support—public trust and internal security will continue to erode.
As the nation approaches yet another security crossroads, Owoseni’s searing words serve as a grim reminder: “You cannot demand excellence from a system built on neglect.”
PIONEER NEWS 