The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has approved a comprehensive review of the Nigeria Police Force training manual and curriculum to transform Nigeria’s policing architecture and produce professionally competent police officers.
In his address at the event with the theme, ‘Supporting Police Accountability and Transformation Project,’ which was organised in Lagos in collaboration with the UNDP, German Cooperation, and other civil society organisations, IGP Egbetokun, represented by DIG Frank Mba, described the initiative as one of the most transformative undertakings in the force’s reform agenda, aimed at building a modern, professional, and people-centred police institution.
He noted that the foundation of effective policing lies not in “weapons or uniforms, but in the minds we shape, the values we instil, and the ethical standards we uphold.”
He alluded that the reform was driven by a need to address emerging security threats and rising public expectations around accountability, empathy, and trust. He said, “We are operating in a world of rising complexity where crime has evolved from street-level offences to sophisticated cybercriminal networks, transnational cartels, and ideologically driven violence. Simultaneously, the public we serve is demanding more accountability, more transparency, deeper empathy, and firm commitment to human rights and community trust.”
He, however, questioned whether the current training methods were still adequate for such challenges while reiterating, “Reform is no longer optional. It is essential, not just for relevance but for the very legitimacy of our institution.”
He said, “The reviewed curriculum will focus on producing a new generation of professionally competent, ethically grounded, and community-oriented officers.”
He said the officers will be trained in law enforcement techniques, forensics, technology, human rights, and conflict resolution with empathy and fairness.
For her part, Chamilla Hemmathagama, Team Lead for Governance, Peace & Security at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), affirmed UNDP’s commitment to Nigeria’s development through the principles of security, justice, governance, and human rights, emphasising that professional, trusted, and accountable collaboration is essential to achieving all four.
