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| Kogi Police Commissioner — Nasir Kankarofi |
In a pointed appeal aimed at rebuilding public trust, Kogi State Commissioner of Police Nazir Bello Kankarofi has urged residents, civil society organisations, and journalists to actively report any corrupt practices by officers under his command. Speaking on Wednesday during the Kogi State Police Command’s observance of the 2026 Customer Service Week, themed “The Extra Mile,” Kankarofi framed the police as public servants rather than masters and declared zero tolerance for indiscipline or graft on his watch.
“The members of the public are our bosses. It is from their taxes that we are being paid our salaries. We are not their masters, but rather we are their servants,” Kankarofi said. He specifically condemned the longstanding illegal practice of demanding or paying money for the bail of suspects and directed the public to channel complaints about bribery, brutality, or other misconduct to the command’s SERVICOM unit at state headquarters.
The commissioner rolled out dedicated contact lines: 08107899269 for reports of police illegal actions or brutality, and 07038329084 and 08152195982 for emergencies. These numbers have appeared in prior command advisories, reflecting an ongoing effort to improve accessibility.
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Acting Officer in Charge of the SERVICOM unit, ASP Chikak Emmanuel, announced the reintroduction of the command’s formal complaint mechanism.
Complaints will be acknowledged within 48 hours and targeted for resolution within five to 15 working days. Emmanuel described it as a structured channel for residents to raise concerns and receive responses, encouraging submissions of both complaints and recommendations.
Kankarofi openly acknowledged the damage caused by police brutality, extrajudicial activities, corruption, and other misconduct, noting that these have eroded public confidence in the force. He stressed that under his leadership the command would protect lives and property without compromise and called on officers to uphold accountability, professionalism, and respect for citizens’ rights. He specifically invited civil society groups and the media to help hold the police accountable.
A Commissioner with an Anti-Corruption Track Record
Kankarofi, who assumed office as the 40th Commissioner of Police for Kogi State in late October 2025, brings more than three decades of experience and a distinctive background in internal accountability. Hailing from Kano Municipal Local Government Area, he enlisted as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1994 after training at the Police Academy in Wudil. He holds a B.Sc. in Economics and Political Science from Bayero University Kano, an LLB, BL, and LLM, and has pursued doctoral studies. He is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association and an alumnus of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).
His career includes service as Aide-de-Camp to the Kwara State governor (1999–2003), command of multiple Police Mobile Force squadrons in high-risk areas (Kano, Bauchi, Rivers, and Anambra states), and roles in the Inspector-General of Police’s X-Squad in Kano and Jigawa states between 2016 and 2019. The X-Squad focuses on internal integrity and anti-corruption enforcement within the force—experience that lends particular weight to his current public challenge against graft in his own command. He has also served as a Divisional Police Officer in Ilorin and Area Commander in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, before rising through zonal operational and administrative posts.
Since taking charge in Kogi, Kankarofi has emphasised community-oriented and intelligence-led policing. Early reports credited the command with arrests of dozens of suspects involved in kidnapping, armed robbery, and other crimes, as well as the rescue of victims and recovery of weapons in the closing months of 2025. He has engaged youths against political and digital thuggery, strengthened ties with the National Human Rights Commission, and received recognition from the Police Community Relations Committee for operational improvements and community engagement.
Customer Service Week and Persistent Trust Deficits
The timing of the appeal coincides with the national and international observance of Customer Service Week (5–9 October 2026), whose theme “The Extra Mile” (or “Going the Extra Mile”) has been promoted by SERVICOM, the federal government’s Service Compact initiative. SERVICOM units across ministries, departments, and agencies are meant to drive service excellence, integrity, and responsive complaint handling. The Kogi police reintroduction of a timed complaint process aligns with this nationwide emphasis on accountability and citizen-centred service.
Yet the broader environment for Nigerian policing remains challenging. Public confidence has long been strained by complaints of extortion at checkpoints, demand for “bail” fees (explicitly illegal), excessive use of force, and extrajudicial actions—issues that fuelled the #EndSARS protests and continue to surface in human rights reports. In Kogi, as in other states facing banditry, kidnapping, and communal tensions, effective policing depends heavily on community cooperation and credible tip-offs. Kankarofi’s explicit invitation for public scrutiny is therefore both a recognition of these realities and a calculated attempt to shift the dynamic from suspicion toward partnership.
The call is not without political undercurrents. In September 2026, human rights activist and African Action Congress presidential aspirant Omoyele Sowore publicly demanded Kankarofi’s removal, accusing the command of facilitating arrests and detention of government critics under Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s administration. One cited case involved the brief detention of a University of Ilorin lecturer over social media commentary on a road project; the police maintained the action followed a formal petition and that the individual was released on administrative bail the same day.
Separate scrutiny has also revisited Kankarofi’s earlier role as Area Commander in Akwa Ibom during the disputed 2019 senatorial election. These episodes illustrate the tightrope state police commissioners often walk between operational independence, political pressure, and public accountability.
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Potential & Pitfalls of Public Reporting Mechanisms
Kankarofi’s background in the X-Squad suggests sincerity in prioritising internal discipline, and the publication of specific hotlines plus defined timelines for SERVICOM responses represents a concrete step beyond rhetorical commitments.
Effective complaint systems can deter misconduct, provide data for targeted reforms, and gradually restore trust when complainants see results without reprisal. The emphasis on civil society and journalists as accountability partners is particularly notable in a climate where independent oversight remains limited.
Implementation, however, will determine impact. Fear of retaliation, bureaucratic delays, or selective enforcement can undermine even well-designed mechanisms. Success will require transparent follow-through—public reporting of outcomes (while protecting whistleblowers), consistent discipline for errant officers regardless of rank or connections, and sustained engagement rather than a one-off Customer Service Week gesture. In a state where security challenges demand reliable community intelligence, rebuilding confidence is not merely a public-relations goal but an operational necessity.
For ordinary Kogites, the message is clear: silence enables the problems that undermine effective policing. Whether residents, activists, and the media take up the invitation—and whether the command demonstrates that complaints lead to real consequences—will test the durability of this accountability push. Kankarofi has publicly placed the onus on both the force and the public. The coming months will show whether “going the extra mile” translates into measurable improvements in conduct, responsiveness, and mutual trust.
Samuel O. Sulaimon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Naijapiz. He covers News, Sports, Finance, Faiths, Education, Technology.
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