Police Officers Have No Role in Land Recovery Disputes, Warns Egbetokun

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has declared that officers of the Nigeria Police Force have no business escorting individuals or groups for land recovery, stressing that such matters remain strictly civil and outside the purview of law enforcement.

Egbetokun made this known through the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, who issued a statement in Abuja clarifying the police’s position following reports linking the IGP to an ongoing land tussle between Ms. Bilikisu Ishaqu Aliyu and the Yesufu family.

According to the police, dragging the IGP into civil disputes misrepresents the role of the force and undermines public confidence in its constitutional duties.

The statement emphasized that land recovery and related disagreements are to be addressed by the courts, not enforced by police escorts or interventions, except where there are clear criminal elements such as violence, fraud, or threats to public peace.

“The Nigeria Police Force does not intervene in land recovery or purely civil matters. Our mandate is to maintain law and order and respond only when criminal activities are alleged or violence looms,” Adejobi noted. He further cautioned against attempts to politicize civil disputes or to use the police as tools for private interests.

The clarification comes against the backdrop of rising public concern about the misuse of security operatives in private disputes, especially in land matters that often lead to clashes and human rights violations.

In recent months, business owners and private citizens have alleged harassment by police operatives over civil disagreements already pending before the courts.

Legal experts have welcomed the IGP’s stance, noting that it reinforces the principle of separation between civil and criminal matters.

They argue that consistent adherence to this policy will help curb abuse of power, reduce extra-judicial interference in land cases, and strengthen the rule of law.

By distancing itself from land recovery disputes, the police leadership hopes to restore public trust and ensure officers remain focused on core responsibilities of crime prevention, investigation, and maintaining peace and security across the country.