A Police Scholar and security expert, Professor Oyesoji Aremu of the University of Ibadan, has called on the new Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to prioritise the Nigerian Police School Protection Squad (SPS) to safeguard schools across the country.
Professor Aremu, who is also the acting Vice-Chancellor of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, made the appeal in a piece titled “IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu: Agenda in Times Like These”, made available to The Guardian in Ibadan.
Aremu noted that the Nigeria Police Force has struggled with image challenges in recent years, particularly at the top hierarchy, unlike in the past when its strength was more visible at the rank-and-file level. He commended the efforts of the immediate past IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, for initiating policy reforms, including attempts to modernise the police training curriculum that largely dates back to the pre-independence era.
The scholar emphasised that the new IGP, the 23rd indigenous officer since 1964, brings experience, notably from his time with the Rapid Response Squad during the 2020 #EndSARS protests in Lagos. He urged Disu to make his tenure people-centred and to foster public trust in the police.
The professor further highlighted the pressing need for state policing structures to address Nigeria’s complex and multifaceted security challenges.
He recalled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s call for state police during a meeting with governors in February 2024 and urged legislative action to amend the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for sub-national policing.
The security scholar also stressed the importance of sustaining intelligence-led counter-terrorism operations, citing recent aerial surveillance missions in the Northeast, Northwest, and North Central regions under the former IGP. He called on IGP Disu to enhance the force’s capacity for counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency operations, including inter-agency intelligence collaboration and advanced training for officers.
Professor Aremu noted, are the recent attacks on schools, with close to 15 incidents reported between November 2025 and January 2026, resulting in hundreds of students being kidnapped. He urged the IGP to strengthen the School Protection Squad and collaborate with the Safe School Special Response Squad (SSSRS) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, as well as the military, to make schools a difficult target for bandits.
Aremu expressed optimism that IGP Disu’s administration would restore public confidence, improve operational efficiency, and ensure that Nigerians are proud of the police service under his leadership.
