CONTINUOUS HUMILIATION, ASSAULT, AND PUBLIC DISRESPECT AGAINST NIGERIAN POLICE OFFICERS BY CIVILIANS MUST STOP
PRESS STATEMENT
FROM UNIFORM INTEL NETWORK
TO:
The President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
The Inspector General of Police, Nigeria Police Force
The Nigerian Government, Human Rights Bodies, Media Organizations, and the General Public.
SUBJECT: THE CONTINUOUS HUMILIATION, ASSAULT, AND PUBLIC DISRESPECT AGAINST NIGERIAN POLICE OFFICERS BY CIVILIANS MUST STOP
The UNIFORM INTEL NETWORK wishes to officially express deep concern and dissatisfaction over the increasing rate of disrespect, harassment, assault, humiliation, and public embarrassment directed at officers and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force by civilians across the country.
This issue has gradually become a dangerous and normalized act in Nigeria, where civilians now see it as ordinary to insult officers, drag their uniforms, hold them aggressively, squeeze and tear their clothes, surround them publicly, obstruct them from carrying out lawful duties, and record them with mobile phones while deliberately provoking them for social media attention.
Today in Nigeria, many civilians no longer see police officers as authorities deserving respect, but rather as objects of ridicule and online entertainment. Every encounter with an officer is now turned into a public recording session, where individuals intentionally provoke officers, insult them, resist lawful instructions, and immediately begin recording videos while posting incomplete narratives online to damage the image of security agencies.
We sincerely ask:
Is this same behavior tolerated in other countries?
Can civilians in developed nations openly drag officers by their uniforms, insult them face-to-face, obstruct them during operations, and still walk away freely without consequences?
Do citizens abroad physically confront armed security officers while crowds gather to support the civilians against the officers?
The answer is NO.
Other countries also have bad officers and disciplinary issues within their police systems, yet their citizens still understand the importance of respecting law enforcement institutions. They understand that once discipline and authority are completely destroyed, national security itself becomes weak.
Unfortunately, in Nigeria today, officers are increasingly becoming vulnerable targets of public humiliation. Civilians now confidently challenge officers physically and verbally because they believe nothing will happen to them. They know that once a short video reaches social media, the officer immediately becomes the accused, while the actions of the civilian are often ignored completely.
This imbalance is becoming alarming.
Whenever a civilian complains against an officer, immediate actions are often taken. Suspensions, investigations, public condemnations, and disciplinary statements are quickly released.
But when officers themselves report assault, provocation, harassment, humiliation, or attacks from civilians, little or no action is taken. Many officers suffer in silence without justice, encouragement, or proper institutional backing.
Is this how a nation should treat the same officers risking their lives daily to protect lives and property?
These officers stand under the rain and sun, at checkpoints, during elections, riots, insecurity, and national emergencies. Some lose their lives in active service. Some leave their families for days and weeks protecting communities they barely know. Yet the same people they protect now publicly disgrace them without consequences.
This growing culture is dangerous for national security and public order.
The Nigeria Police Force is not perfect. There are indeed bad eggs within the system, and nobody supports misconduct, corruption, extortion, brutality, or abuse of power. Any officer found guilty of misconduct should face lawful disciplinary action.
However, correcting bad officers should never become an excuse for civilians to destroy the dignity of all officers or completely disrespect law enforcement institutions.
Human rights must apply to both civilians and officers.
Respect must also go both ways.
A police officer is a human being, a citizen, a father, a mother, a brother, a sister, and an individual serving the nation under oath. Their uniforms must never become objects for dragging, squeezing, tearing, or public assault by civilians.
We therefore call on the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Presidency, the Inspector General of Police, the National Assembly, the Ministry of Justice, and all relevant security and human rights agencies to urgently address this growing problem before it escalates further.
Furthermore, we wish to make it clear that if urgent and decisive action is not taken to address this growing disrespect, humiliation, assault, and lack of protection for security personnel, many officers and uniformed personnel may gradually lose the motivation and willingness to continue risking their lives for a society that no longer values or respects them.
If this situation continues unchecked, personnel may eventually be left with no choice but to step back and allow citizens to face the realities of protecting themselves without the constant presence and sacrifices of security agencies.
No officer should continue serving in an environment where they are insulted, dragged, assaulted, humiliated publicly, and abandoned by the very system and society they protect.
We are tired.
We can no longer continue to tolerate this shameful behavior against uniformed personnel across the country.
Enough is enough.
This is not a threat, but a serious warning and emotional cry from concerned voices who have watched officers suffer physical attacks, emotional trauma, public disgrace, and institutional neglect repeatedly without proper intervention.
Nigeria must decide whether it truly values the men and women risking their lives daily for national peace and security.
No country progresses when its law enforcement officers are constantly ridiculed, physically assaulted, emotionally frustrated, and publicly disgraced without support from the system they serve.
The dignity of the Nigerian uniform must be protected.
The law must protect both civilians and officers equally.
Justice must never become one-sided.
Respect for security personnel must be restored before the situation worsens beyond control.
Signed:
UNIFORM INTEL NETWORK
For National Security Awareness, Discipline, and Respect for Uniformed Personnel.
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Nigeria Police Force Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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