By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
COMMISSIONER of Police, Kogi State Command, CP Nasiru Kankarofi, has challenged police officers and men to abandon the remnants of the colonial mindset in policing and embrace professionalism, accountability and people-oriented service delivery.
Kankarofi made the call in Lokoja while welcoming Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), faith-based groups and other stakeholders to the 2026 Customer Service Week of the Nigeria Police Force, Kogi Command, themed “The Extra Mile.”
He said the theme was a timely reminder that excellent policing required officers to go beyond the ordinary, exceed public expectations and make every interaction with citizens count.
The CP said the Police must recognise members of the public as its customers, stressing that officers were public servants and not masters of the people whose lives and property they were entrusted to protect.
According to him, the responsibility of the Police derives from the social contract between government and the people, under which citizens surrender part of their sovereignty to government in return for protection of their lives and property.
Kankarofi, who acknowledged the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, said the IGP’s emphasis on a people-oriented Police Force had reinforced the need for officers to understand that how they serve the public is as important as the duties they perform.
He said going the Extra Mile in policing could mean listening patiently to a complainant, responding promptly to distress calls, providing clear information, treating citizens with dignity or taking additional steps to ensure that legitimate concerns were properly addressed.
The CP acknowledged that misconduct, including police brutality, extrajudicial activities and corruption, had continued to erode public confidence in the Force, insisting that the Police must be honest enough to listen to citizens about areas requiring improvement.
He also called on civil society organisations to continue providing constructive criticism and credible information to the Police, noting that their interventions had helped in uncovering criminal networks, rescuing victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse, and assisting victims of domestic violence.
Kankarofi said the Police had begun efforts to shed the colonial legacy of policing, which was originally designed to protect colonial interests and suppress the local population, but acknowledged that remnants of the mentality still manifested in contemporary policing.
He therefore urged stakeholders not to “sugar-coat” their assessments of the Police, saying the essence of the Customer Service Week was to provide a platform for frank discussion, identify shortcomings and develop practical solutions.
“I will not be happy if everybody comes here praising the CP. I am here to be battered so that I will go home, lick my wounds and improve. We want you to tell us the bad side and share your experiences with the Police,” Kankarofi said.
The Commissioner of Police acknowledged all the issues and complaints raised by stakeholders including extortion of motorists, lack of prompt response to distress calls, illegal arrests and detention, brutality, bullying, payment for logistics especially in prosecution of suspects and accused persons, payment for bail, and “Police is your Friend” among many others.
CP Kankarofi said all the issues were noted and prompt and adequate measures would be taken to ensure that the nation has “a Police Force that the people can approach, a Police Force that listens and a Police Force that responds with professionalism, fairness and respect.”
