_By Comrade Kunle Sodipo FICSSMN, MNIMN, ANIPR_
_Abeokuta, Ogun State based Public Affairs Analyst and Security Strategist_
September, 2026
ckswritings@gmail.com
_The Holy Regalia of security must not be given to pigs. Security partnership must be earned by character, not bought by fraudsters seeking cover._
Nigeria has turned security partnership into a fashion parade and a laundering machine.
Everywhere you turn today, a new group is rushing to “partner” with the Nigeria Police. They print letterheads: “National Association of…”, “Coalition of…”, “Concerned … for Security”, “Institute of… Security Advocates.”
They sew special uniforms, buy sirens, print ID cards with bold inscription: “SECURITY PARTNER – NIGERIA POLICE FORCE.” They take photos with Commissioners of Police and DPOs, post them on Facebook, and suddenly they have become untouchable.
But who are these people rushing to wear the holy regalia?
THE HOLY REGALIA AND THE PIGS
Security is holy. The uniform of the Police, the badge, the beret, the right to stop and search – these are priestly garments of the state. They are symbols of trust. When a citizen sees them, he should feel safe, not scared.
But today, pigs are wearing the regalia.
And by pigs, I mean two categories:
Category 1: The Park Boys in Camouflage – The touts, ex-convicts, Indian hemp smokers we dressed as vigilante, hunters and private guards. We discussed them before.
Category 2: The Corporate Agbada Pigs – This is the more dangerous one.
THE RUSH FOR POLICE PARTNERSHIP: A NEW FRAUD?
Check the CAC register. Check the faces behind many of these “Security Partnership NGOs” and “Crime Prevention Associations” rushing to partner with Police today:
Many of them have very dirty public records.
1. The Failed Cooperative/Thrift Collector: A man who ran a cooperative society, collected billions from market women and artisans, diverted it, and is still owing. He cannot enter the market. Suddenly he rebrands: “President, National Peace and Security Initiative.” He now needs Police partnership and Police photo to intimidate his creditors and to look credible to new victims.
2. The Sacked Union/Association Executive: A man removed for financial misappropriation in his old association – couldn’t account for millions. EFCC case file is still there. He quickly forms a new NGO: “Youths for Community Policing.” He runs to the Police headquarters for partnership letter to give him legitimacy.
3. The Government Contractor With Abandoned Projects: He collected mobilization fee for boreholes, streetlights, school buildings, did not execute, money vanished. Now he wants to be “Security Consultant to Police” so that when EFCC comes, he can say he is “working with security agencies.”
4. The Blacklisted Microfinance/ Ponzi Operator: People are looking for him because their money disappeared. He needs cover. What better cover than an ID card that says “Partner – Nigeria Police Force”? Who will arrest a man working with Police?
5. The Politician Without Constituency: He lost election, his party abandoned him. He needs relevance and access to small security votes. So he forms a “Security Stakeholders Forum” and lobbies to be named “Police Community Relations” something, something.
These people are not coming to serve. They are coming to launder their image with Police uniform.
They want to use the integrity of the Nigeria Police to wash their own dirty linen.
WHY THE POLICE MUST BE CAREFUL
I have great respect for the Nigeria Police Force. But the Force must know that every partnership you sign, you are lending your credibility.
When you partner with a man whose past is fraudulent, you have given a pig the holy regalia. And two things will happen:
a) He Will Extort In Your Name: He will go to companies, schools, filling stations, hotels and say: “I am partnering with Police, you must support our security program with ₦500k, ₦1m.” He issues receipts. People pay out of fear of Police. The money goes into private pocket. The people will think it is Police extorting them. Your name is destroyed.
b) He Will Become Untouchable Criminal: Tomorrow when his fraud victims petition Police against him, he will bring out his partnership certificate and ID card. “How can I be a fraudster? I am a Police partner!” Your men will be reluctant to arrest him. You have created a monster.
c) He Will Compromise Your Intelligence: A man who could not keep his cooperative’s money, how will he keep your operational intelligence? He will sell information to kidnappers, to robbers, to whoever pays higher to cover his financial hole.
MY BLUNT ADVICE TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE AND ALL CPs:
Before you sign any security partnership MOU in Nigeria today, do these 4 things:
1. Demand EFCC/Police Record: Do a background check on the promoters. Has he been petitioned for fraud, misappropriation, breach of trust? If yes, no partnership. Holy regalia is not for pigs.
2. Demand Audited Account: If he ran a cooperative, an NGO, a union before, let him show audited account and certificate of no indebtedness. A man who cannot manage ₦5 million thrift contribution cannot partner to manage security of 5 million people.
3. Make Partnership Free and Non-Profit: No partner should be allowed to collect money from the public in the name of Police. Once you allow them to levy companies and schools, you have licensed extortion.
4. Annual Review, Not Lifetime Chieftaincy: All partnerships must be reviewed every 12 months. If a partner is found wanting, withdraw it publicly, same way you announced it. Don’t give lifetime awards to questionable characters.
The Nigeria Police needs partners, yes. But not every hand stretched to you is a helping hand. Some hands are coming to steal your remaining respect.
Do not allow a man whose name is synonymous with financial fraud to wear your badge. If you do, when the public sees your badge tomorrow, they will not see honour. They will see fraud.
Not every suit is a gentleman. Not every uniform is a saint.
Pigs must not wear the holy regalia. If they do, both the pig and the regalia will end up in the mud.
_#VetYourPartners #SecurityIsSacred #PoliceMustBeCarefu_
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