Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Isyaku Mohammed, overseeing the North-Central Zone, has issued a firm declaration that the Nigeria Police Force will never admit repentant terrorists or other former criminals into its ranks, directly challenging any notion of rehabilitation or reintegration into the country's premier law enforcement agency. Mohammed made the statement on Thursday, June 25, 2026, during a high-stakes stakeholders' meeting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, attended by officers of the Kwara Police Command, traditional rulers, religious leaders, transport union representatives, and other community stakeholders.
“We will not allow repentant criminals to find their way into the Nigeria Police Force,” Mohammed declared, according to multiple reports. The DIG warned stakeholders that any criminal recommended to the police would eventually be deployed back to their communities, a scenario he described as potentially disastrous. He explained that traditional rulers and divisional police officers (DPOs) often sign recommendation letters for individuals seeking to join security agencies, but he advised them to refrain from endorsing anyone with a criminal record. “I don’t think they’ll recommend anybody that has been engaged in criminality in the name of ‘I have repented’,” he said.
Drawing from his experience serving in the North-East, Mohammed recalled the federal government's deradicalisation programme for former Boko Haram members, which was implemented by the military. He described a town hall meeting he attended in Yobe State where community members vehemently rejected the reintegration of deradicalised insurgents. According to him, the community members argued: “I cannot see somebody that killed my parents coming back with empowerment, while my parents, whose businesses he destroyed, are still there without assistance”. While acknowledging that the rehabilitation programme was a federal government policy, Mohammed stressed that the police would not follow the same path. “The only thing we can do is to protect our own territory and ensure that such repented people do not find their way into the Nigeria Police,” he said.
The DIG's stance comes amid growing concerns about the potential infiltration of security agencies by former insurgents and bandits, a debate that has intensified following recent reports of “repentant” terrorists being attached to local security groups in Borno State. Nigerian soldiers have reportedly expressed fears that such arrangements could expose military operations to intelligence leaks and compromise counter-insurgency efforts. Mohammed's declaration appears to be a direct response to these concerns, reinforcing the police's commitment to maintaining the integrity of its recruitment process.
In addition to his remarks on recruitment, Mohammed announced plans to inaugurate a joint border patrol operation to strengthen security across Kwara State's border corridors. He noted that Kwara shares boundaries with Ekiti, Oyo, Kogi, and Niger states, as well as the Republic of Benin. “The joint border patrol would be done across its border corridors to prevent criminality and criminals,” he said. The DIG also advocated for community policing, describing it as an effective crime prevention strategy. He emphasised the importance of timely information sharing and youth engagement, urging stakeholders to involve young people in productive activities to reduce crime.
The meeting, which was convened following a directive from the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, for senior officers to assess security challenges across their zones, underscored the police leadership's determination to engage stakeholders at the grassroots level. Mohammed's message was clear: the Nigeria Police Force will not be a refuge for those who have terrorised communities, and those who recommend such individuals will bear the consequences.
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