The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Olukayode Egbetokun, has charged the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to embrace foresight and creativity in confronting the complex crime landscape facing the country.
Egbetokun gave the charge on Monday in Abuja at the opening of a capacity-building workshop for top police officers, organised in collaboration with the Society for Peace Studies and Practice.
The I-G said the theme of the workshop, “Managing Fast-Paced Security Challenges in a Protracted Conflict Environment,” reflected the paradox of present-day realities, where conflicts evolve daily in form and intensity.
According to him, “we face adversaries who are not only persistent, but adaptive. Criminal syndicates exploit technology to expand their reach. Terrorist networks rebrand and reorganise to avoid defeat, while local conflicts, once contained, now spill across borders, amplified by social media and transnational alliances.
“This complexity demands more from us than courage alone. It demands foresight, creativity, and the agility to lead in an environment of constant flux.”
Egbetokun stressed that police leaders must balance patience with speed, endurance with imagination, and strategy with unshakable resolve. He explained that the workshop was carefully designed to prepare participants to anticipate, adapt and act decisively.
The one-day training, he said, would cover critical topics such as conflict analysis and effective response strategies in policing environments, conflict-sensitive decision-making, strengthening capacity for early warning and early response, and linking conflict-early warning to policy development.
“These are not abstract concepts, but practical leadership tools to equip participants to command with clarity, manage crises with precision, and inspire confidence in the men and women under your charge,” he added.
He emphasised that the programme was designed not only for individual learning but for collective transformation, insisting that the Nigeria Police Force must evolve into an institution that is agile in planning, bold in execution, and united in vision.
“Our success will not be measured by the brilliance of one commander or the courage of a few units. It will be measured by the strength of our collective capacity to anticipate threats, respond as one body, and deliver security that Nigerians can see and feel every day,” the I-G stated.
In his remarks, Mr Nathaniel Awuaila, President of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice, said the workshop was aimed at enhancing strategic leadership within the police.
He explained that the goal was to reposition the force as a proactive, intelligence-driven institution capable of fostering peace, justice, and national cohesion.
