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Nigeria Police Must Be Independent Of Political Interference To Function Optimally – Fountain University Don

ByOlamilekan Adigun

PublishedApril 23, 2026

A professor of jurisprudential criminology at Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State, Kazeem Olaniyan, has said the only way for the Nigeria Police to function optimally is to be truly independent of political interference.

Olaniyan observed that interference by the executive arm of government remains sore point in the operation of the Nigeria Police Force and the administration of criminal justice.

The scholar stated this while delivering the 8th inaugural lecture of Fountain University, Osogbo, titled, “The Just, Justice and The Judicial: A Jurisprudential Journey in the Justicial Jungle”, on Thursday at the institution’s campus in Osogbo.

He noted that the police are frequently hampered by their subordination to executive whim, adding that the Police Service Commission which ought to serve as the watchdog is often sidelined or filled with political appointees.

Olaniyan, who is the the current Dean, College of the law of the university, said modern policing in Nigeria still reflected the paramilitary approach with officers most often underpaid or ill-equipped, which led them to extortion as a survival mechanism.

He said, “The Nigeria Police Force is frequently hampered by its subordination to executive whim, a phenomenon often described as the “Orders from Above” syndrome. This is as a result of the IGP who is appointed by the President which makes the force, most times, prioritise political loyalty over constitutional duty, and therefore functions as a political tool to suppress opposition rather than an independent law enforcement
agency.

“Most state governors, despite not having constitutional “operational control,” provide the bulk of logistical support (vehicles, fuel, allowances) to state commands. Thus, “he who pays the piper” dynamic leads to police units being used to settle personal or political scores”.

Speaking on some of the injustices alleged to be perpetrated by the Nigeria police, Olaniyan said arraigning suspects before courts that lack jurisdiction simply to secure a remand order is usually used as a tool for indefinite detention.

“While the Magistrate cannot try the case by declining Jurisdiction, they are asked to “remand” the suspect pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). This practice violates the rights to personal liberty of the suspect,” the scholar added.

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Olaniyan said the Nigeria Police Force cannot be an instrument of justice if it remains a source of fear, noting that addressing the injustice in the justice sector requires more than just new laws but a fundamental re-engineering of the
police officer’s psyche and a political will to fund and oversee the “gatekeepers” of our democracy.

“The Nigerian justice sector cannot claim to be “just” if it continues to treat victims as peripheral tools for conviction. To bridge the gap between legality and morality, the system must evolve from a state-centred model to a victim-inclusive one. This requires not just legislative reform, but a cultural shift among legal practitioners and the judiciary,” Olaniyan noted.

Olamilekan Adigun

Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.