By Mike Odiakose

An internationally acclaimed Security Expert, Dr Lekan Jackson Ojo, has tasked the Acting Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, to make the welfare of Police Personnel his top priority to boost their morale.

In a message to the Ag IGP, Dr Ojo lamented the poor the welfare packages of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.

He attributed the corruption within the force to this malaise and the poor logistics to cater for their daily operations.

According to him, the leadership of the NPF does not have moral justification to sanction those that cross the line if what ought to have been provided to the policemen are not forthcoming.

He bemoaned a situation where policemen are practically forced to collect money at checkpoints or harass citizens to raise funds to maintain their operational vehicles and other logistics.

“Most of these policemen you see they are still the ones that pay for logistics. If you see any police patrol van it is the people you see in the van that buys the fuel, take care of the tyres, maintain the vehicles from their own pockets. How do they get the money? Of course, from the road.

“So, for you to eradicate all these the welfare packages of the men of the Nigeria Police should be heavy. Go to Benin Republic, if you offer bribe to a policemen you will be arrested and they will charge you to Court. You think they are doing that with empty stomach? No.

“Number one thing for you to boost the morale of the police, to spur them to action, for discipline to be imbibed to at least minimum of 70 percent, you need to do something. When a police officer is earning almost nothing, he will pay for transport, he will pay rent, he will take care of his family, he will take care of his health and his pension. At the end of the day you see a policemen that served up to the rank of CSP, up to Assistant Commissioner if he has not gotten any juicy command he may not have a car of his own, he may not have a house of his own, he may not be able to train his children. He that is down fears no fall.

“Everything in life is about risk. Somebody that is dying and you go a flash bundles of naira before him and you say because he is born-again he will reject? No.

“The first thing the new Acting Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, should do is to change and enhance the welfare packages of the men of the Nigeria Police. By the time you do it you will have the moral justification to deal with anyone that steps out of line.

“You have no money in the wardrobe or somewhere in your house and your children are hungry and they now mistakenly enter your room and see the money and you say they should not take the money? They don’t have liberty to do that but you have no moral justification to punish them. What is wrong is wrong and the first wrong counts most.

“Are they not supposed to be well paid, are they supposed to be buying uniforms and boots for themselves? Are they supposed to be fueling their vehicles, buying tyres and maintaining their vehicles? Is that one not wrong?

“That is why I said he (IGP) should play his own role first as the new father of the Nigeria Police. When he has done that by the time anyone defaults he has the moral justification to deal with that one. People like that you can dismiss them. But when your children are hungry and you keep money and you say they should not go and steal it, is it good for them to starve and die?
They will look at death, they will look at their father’s money, they will go and pick their father’s money.

“If you don’t provide for your children what are you doing? You are training them for criminality.

“Tunji Disu should take the welfare of the Nigeria Police very seriously. Doing that will become a morale booster, it will be spurring them to action. They want to wake up to go the office, they want to go and tackle all these criminalities and crimes. But when a man is leaving his house in the morning and he quickly wants to run out of the house before the children will wake up because they will ask him what are we going to eat and he has no solution and you think he will get to office and do well? No.”

Dr Jackson Ojo also advocated for proper training of policemen.

“After the recruitment of the policemen do they train them, what type of training, is it civil or combative training? Do they change their mentality? Do they educate them on police/public relationship?
If they do all those ones, what are their salaries? “

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo has described the coincidence of Ramadan and the Christian Lenten season as a unique opportunity for national rebirth.

Adebayo spoke at the gathering of Clerics and faithfuls from the Muslim and Christian communities at the Al-Ahfad Mosque in Gombe for a special Ramadan Iftar aimed at fostering unity and religious tolerance.

His words, “The central message in this holy Ramadan, which coincides with Christians’ Lent, is an opportunity to redeem ourselves, renew our faith, and reflect on who we are as a community.”

According to him, the presence of Christianity and Islam in Nigeria should be seen as a “double blessing” rather than a source of division.

He therefore urged Nigerians to embrace the core values of both religions — peace, justice, and responsible leadership — to build a united and progressive nation.

Continuing, Adebayo said, “If we are united and use the tenets of our religions to raise a new generation, they will not be thinking of how to get rid of each other; rather, they will be thinking of how to get rid of bad leadership,” he stated.

“The faith and characteristics of our religions talk about peace, justice and raising leaders who will unite us together, and the earlier we start, the better for us,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chief Imam of the mosque, Dr. Umar Dokaji, said the gathering was timely as both Muslims and Christians are observing fasting periods.

He noted that inviting Christian and Islamic scholars to break fast together was a practical demonstration of religious tolerance, especially at a time when the country faces allegations of religious persecution, as well as ethnic and terrorist crises in some parts.

“This kind of gathering will help unite the two major religious faithful and will go a long way in preventing deadly religious crisis in the largest Black nation on earth,” Dokaji said, while also calling for support for vulnerable groups and stressing that justice remains key to resolving Nigeria’s lingering challenges.

Also speaking, former North-East Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Reverend Abare Kalla, who represented the Christian invitees, described the joint fasting period as divinely orchestrated.

He said the prayers and supplications offered by Muslims during Ramadan mirror those of Christians during Lent, emphasizing that the overwhelming majority of Muslims globally reject terrorism.

He added that Christians and Muslims working together can overcome the forces of violence and division threatening the country.

Kalla recalled how Christian and Muslim communities in Nasarawa had previously resolved a misunderstanding over a place of worship amicably, describing it as a model of peaceful coexistence.

The interfaith Iftar brought together Islamic scholars, Christian clerics and community leaders, all united by a common call for peace, justice and national cohesion.

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

Renowned legal giant,constitutional lawyer,celebrated human rights activist and nation builder, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has secured bail from the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, Abuja, alongside his co-defendant, Ponfa Useni,aka Tali Shani.

The court granted them bail in the sum of N10m each and one surety who must own landed property in the FCT,with their international passports deposited with the Registrar of the court.

This was shortly after their arraignment on a 12-count charge filed by Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation who led other senior lawyers from the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The charges relate to alleged forgery of documents, including an international passport and an irrevocable power of attorney, allegedly used to lay claim to a property in London,charges which they staunchly denied.

Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN ( the first defendant ),was represented by Chief Tayo Oyetibo (SAN),who appeared with many other Senior Advocates of Nigeria,including Chief Paul Erokoro, Chief Abeni Mohammed, Sylva Ogwemoh, Prince Yusuf Asamah Kadiri, A.A.Malik,Chief Clement Onwuenwunor, Chief C.A.C.Oshomegie, and many other members of the outer Bar including Rex Erameh, Anthony Anene,A.B Ige Asemudara, Iribor Sanami,Jeff Kadiri, Godwin Iyinbor, Akintayo Balogun, Fatima Audu, Eustace Nwaozwu,Queen Ubokutom Umana, Oluchi Vivian Uche and Oshomha Mike- Ozekhome. Others included Jemilat Kassim Ali,Ighodalo Aigbobo,Sheriff Adele,Dino Melaye, Ibimina Sokari, C.N.Umeh and others.

The second defendant,Ponfa Useni, aka Mr Tali Shani, was represented by F.R. Onoja (SAN) who led other lawyers.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), while not opposing their bail applications, however urged the court to impose such conditions as would ensure attendance of court by the defendants, while Chief Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, urged the court to grant Chief Ozekhome bail in self recognizance or in very liberal terms as he has been on administrative bail by the EFCC and ICPC without breaching the bail conditions.

The court thereafter set the next hearing for 13th March, and 15th and 16th April, 2026.

Prof. Mike Ozekhome,SAN and his co-defendant have met the bail conditions to secure their release and have since gone home.

Prof. Mike Ozekhome SAN is a respected member of the Bar, a Life Bencher and a prominent voice on national issues bordering on democracy, good governance,rule of law and human rights.

The case has attracted widespread attention, with many awaiting further developments.
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