Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has admitted that criminals terrorising the country are operating ahead of security agencies in both resources and sophistication.
Speaking on Thursday at Force Headquarters, Abuja, during a meeting with commanders of border patrol units nationwide, Egbetokun said criminals were no longer ragtag gangs but highly organised networks with access to advanced weaponry, international funding, and modern technology.
“Let me say this to you: when you mount a checkpoint, when you block a smuggling route, when you rescue a victim—you are not just doing your job; you are shaping the future of Nigeria,” he told the officers.
He warned that the threat landscape is rapidly evolving. “But let us be clear: the threats we face are changing every day. Criminal groups are no longer ragtag gangs. They are sophisticated, they are well-funded, and they are international. They use drones, falsified documents, and encrypted networks to stay ahead.”
The police boss stressed the urgent need to embrace technology to counter modern crime. “We cannot fight 21st-century crime with 20th-century tools. That is why we must embrace technology – surveillance systems, drones, biometric scanners, real-time data analysis. These are not luxuries; they are necessities.
“And we will continue to fight for them until every officer on the frontline is equipped to match the sophistication of those you face,” he added before the meeting went into a closed-door session.
Daily Trust reports that Nigeria’s security nightmare includes bandits, terrorists, gunmen, and oil thieves.
Highlighting the dangers of Nigeria’s vast borders, the IGP said the nation’s 4,000 kilometers of land boundaries and maritime corridors were both lifelines and threats.
“For too long, the porosity of our borders has been exploited. We have seen the inflow of small arms and light weapons that fuel violence in our villages and cities.
“We have seen contraband goods smuggled in, crippling our local industries. We have seen vulnerable women and children deceived and trafficked across borders.
“We have confronted terrorists and criminal syndicates who take advantage of these weaknesses to infiltrate and destabilize our communities,” he said.
