“𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐄 ,𝐄𝐝𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐣𝐚, 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚”.

𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧: 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗩𝗗𝗠 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗦𝗣 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗗𝘂𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀.

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥,

𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍, 𝐚 𝐜𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 , 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚. 𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐬 “𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗠𝗮𝗻” (𝗩𝗗𝗠), 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝗖𝗦𝗣-𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐭.

⎚ 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐀𝐖:

The impersonation of a police officer, especially one of a high-ranking officer, is a serious offense under the 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐭. Such conduct not only contravenes provisions related to public order and the respect due to law enforcement, but it also flouts the stipulations of the 𝐄𝐅𝐂𝐂 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐬 that seek to maintain public trust and integrity in official symbols and positions. 𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, and it is paramount that due legal processes be upheld in this case to reinforce the standards of accountability and respect for the 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞.

While 𝗩𝗗𝗠 has issued a public apology, admitting his mistake and expressing regret, this incident sets a dangerous precedent. Allowing an individual to 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 police personnel without facing appropriate legal consequences could embolden others to commit similar acts. If such cases are ignored, it could lead to a 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 , as people may perceive leniency as an open door to circumvent laws meant to uphold public order and safety.

⎚ 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐢𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐎 𝐔𝐍𝐏𝐔𝐍𝐢𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃:

This case has far-reaching implications, as it raises concerns about the sanctity of the law and the potential negative impact on 𝗰𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆. Permitting such actions to go unpunished risks setting a precedent that weakens the authority of law enforcement and could result in other citizens believing that 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐲𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐬 is permissible if followed by a mere apology. We strongly believe that the police force should address this matter with due diligence to uphold the reputation of the institution and maintain the trust of the Nigerian people.

𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, including ours, are dedicated to upholding justice and integrity. However, if the police do not pursue this case, we, alongside other 𝗡𝗚𝗢𝘀, may face significant challenges in educating citizens on accountability and rule of law. A lack of action could suggest that leniency or overlooking violations of the law is acceptable, which could erode the moral fabric of our 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆.

⎚ 𝐀 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘:

We urge the Nigerian Police Force to investigate this matter thoroughly and take appropriate actions in accordance with the law. While the apology issued by 𝗩𝗗𝗠 is a step in the right direction, the law must still be upheld to maintain order, prevent future offenses, and send a clear message that 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 of any kind within the police force is unacceptable. This is crucial in a time when Nigerians are demanding more 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 from institutions.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿. 𝗪𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗮𝘄.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒚,

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗢𝗷𝗲𝗶(𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗼𝘅)

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘁,𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.