Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Nigerian Army is not our rival: Police

There is no rivalry between the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army and other security forces, says police commissioner in Lagos, Hakeem Odumosu.

• November 18, 2021
IGP Usman Baba Alkali and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Farouk Yahaya
IGP Usman Baba Alkali and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Farouk Yahaya

There is no rivalry between the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army and other security forces, says police commissioner in Lagos, Hakeem Odumosu.

Mr Odumosu further claimed that there was no rivalry among the country’s security agencies.

This week, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, took a swipe at the police saying Nigerian soldiers are disciplined and commit murder professionally, unlike the police officers that carry out extrajudicial killings. 

According to the police commissioner in a statement, the police and the military are members of the same big family pursuing the same goal in the nation’s interest.

Mr Odumosu stated this during the study tour of delegates of the Senior Course 44 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, to the Lagos police command on November 16.

The statement indicated that the police chief also presented a paper titled ‘Contribution of the Nigeria Police to the Enhancement of National Security in Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole’.

“The commissioner of police said that the visit will afford the course participants to get a thorough knowledge of the strategies being adopted by the police to secure the citizens, business entities, private and government facilities and other critical infrastructures of national interest in the state,” the statement explained. “The strategies, the CP emphasised, include but not limited to proactive and intelligence-driven security strategies to tackle the menace (of crimes and criminality) head-on and ensure a secured environment.”

Speaking on the recently released #EndSARS report detailing soldiers and police’s atrocities, Mr Irabor said, “In the meantime, until I see the full extent of the report, I may not be able to…but I can assure you that the Armed Forces of Nigeria are disciplined, well-disciplined and will not engage in any ignoble act.” 

He added, “If Nigerians don’t trust us, then we will not be doing what we’re doing. In any case, it’s the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Remember, we are not dealing… We are not talking about the police but the Armed Forces with emphasis, the Armed Forces of Nigeria.” 

(NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Crowd of patients at hospital

Health

Only 22 million out of 240 million Nigerians on health insurance, says NHIA

The National Health Insurance Authority says the number of Nigerians enrolled in health insurance has risen to more than 22 million.

NDLEA on cannabis farm

States

Delta: NDLEA says 36 hectares of cannabis farm destroyed

NDLEA says it destroyed 36.2 hectares of suspected cannabis plantation and seized N450 million worth of illicit drugs in Delta over the last year.

United States President Donald Trump

World

Trump says ceasefire with Iran over as U.S. launches fresh strikes

IRGC disclosed on Wednesday that it targeted U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait and that it had shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone.

Economy

Tinubu urges Afreximbank to mobilise resources for Africa’s industrialisation

Mr Tinubu urged the leadership of the African Export-Import Bank to leverage Africa’s human, financial and natural resources to promote economic progress for all Africans.

Armed Cops

States

Bayelsa: Father, son arrested for illegally possessing guns

The Bayelsa police command says it has arrested a 68-year-old man and his 36-year-old son for illegally possessing four single-barrelled firearms.

Plastic bags waste

Africa

Tunisia proposes ban on single-use plastic bags

Members of the Assembly of People’s Representatives in Tunisia have put forward a legislative initiative aimed at a nationwide ban on single-use plastic bags.