Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has called for a stronger partnership between the Nigeria Police Force and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) to combat the growing menace of financial and economic crimes, a move that, while commendable, raises fundamental questions about the police's capacity to implement such reforms amidst persistent allegations of misconduct and political partisanship. Disu made this call on Friday, August 21, 2026, while receiving the President and Chairman of Council of ICAN, Hajia Queensley Sofuratu Seghosime, mni, FCA, and her delegation at the Force Headquarters, Abuja. The meeting, which focused on strengthening collaboration in forensic accounting and financial investigations, comes at a time when the police force is under intense scrutiny over its handling of political arrests, unlawful detentions, and its increasingly controversial use of the Cybercrimes Act to silence critics. The proposed partnership, which includes forensic accounting certification programmes for investigators and the establishment of a dedicated Police-ICAN response mechanism for high-profile financial fraud cases, is a welcome development, but it must be accompanied by a fundamental shift in the police's culture of impunity and its willingness to be used as a tool for political suppression.
Seghosime, a distinguished tax administrator with 26 years of experience at the Federal Inland Revenue Service, where she served as Coordinating Director for Compliance and Enforcement, and the 62nd President of ICAN, congratulated the IGP on his appointment and commended his leadership priorities of accountability, modernisation and institutional reform. The delegation, which included the ICAN Registrar/Chief Executive, Dr. Lanre Olasunkanmi; Chairman of the ICAN Abuja District, Mr. Emeka Okoroeze; and Mr. Adamu Yusuf, FCA, discussed the growing complexity of financial and economic crimes and the urgent need to strengthen technical capacity in forensic accounting and financial investigations. ICAN proposed a structured partnership that includes forensic accounting certification programmes for police investigators, specialised training for detectives, and opportunities for cadets of the Police Academy to acquire the Accounting Technician Scheme for West Africa (ATSWA) certification. The engagement also explored the development of a dedicated Police-ICAN response mechanism for high-profile financial fraud cases, leveraging professional accounting expertise to strengthen investigation, evidence development and prosecution.
The IGP welcomed the proposed partnership, noting that modern policing requires specialised knowledge and strategic collaboration with professional institutions. He also proposed a joint awareness campaign by the NPF and ICAN to educate businesses and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises on fraud prevention, early detection and responsible financial practices. The Nigeria Police Force, according to the statement, remains committed to strengthening its capacity to investigate and prosecute financial and economic crimes through specialised training, professional partnerships and the adoption of modern investigative techniques. However, this commitment rings hollow when juxtaposed with the police's recent actions in Osun State, where 16 members of the Accord Party were arrested and illegally detained for simply canvassing votes for Governor Ademola Adeleke, and where a House of Representatives candidate, Alaba Popoola, was held for 26 days without any credible allegation established against him. A Federal High Court was forced to order their release, exposing the police's descent into political partisanship and its willingness to abuse state power to settle political scores.
The ICAN partnership, while technically sound, cannot succeed in a vacuum. The police force's institutional culture, characterised by a lack of accountability, widespread corruption, and a propensity for human rights abuses, poses a significant obstacle to the effective implementation of any reform initiative. The IGP's rhetoric of accountability and modernisation must be matched by concrete actions to discipline officers involved in misconduct, including those who arrested the Accord Party members, those who assaulted journalist Sunday Michael Ogwu in Abuja, and those who have used the Cybercrimes Act to silence critics. The police cannot credibly claim to be fighting financial crimes when its own officers are implicated in corruption and when the institution itself is used as a weapon of political repression. The ICAN partnership must be accompanied by a comprehensive reform of the police's internal oversight mechanisms, including the Complaint Response Unit and the Independent X-Squad, to ensure that officers who engage in misconduct are held accountable.
Furthermore, the proposed partnership raises questions about the police's capacity to absorb and utilise the specialised training that ICAN is offering. The police force has a long history of training programmes that fail to translate into improved performance on the ground. The ICAN certification programmes, which include forensic accounting and fraud examination, are rigorous and require a level of commitment and intellectual capacity that may not be present in all police officers. The police must ensure that the training is targeted at officers who are genuinely interested in and capable of mastering these skills, and that the training is followed by meaningful opportunities to apply these skills in real-world investigations. The establishment of a dedicated Police-ICAN response mechanism for high-profile financial fraud cases is a positive step, but it must be insulated from political interference and staffed by officers with the requisite expertise and integrity.
The IGP's proposal for a joint awareness campaign to educate businesses and SMEs on fraud prevention is also commendable, but it must be part of a broader strategy to address the root causes of financial crime in Nigeria, including weak regulatory frameworks, inadequate enforcement, and a culture of impunity that allows wealthy individuals and corporations to evade taxes and launder money with impunity. The police cannot fight financial crime alone; it requires a coordinated effort involving all relevant government agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, and the judiciary. The ICAN partnership is a step in the right direction, but it must be part of a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach to tackling financial crime.
The meeting between the IGP and the ICAN President is a significant development, but it must not be allowed to become another photo opportunity. The police must demonstrate that it is serious about reform by taking concrete actions to address the systemic issues that have plagued the institution for decades. The ICAN partnership offers an opportunity for the police to professionalise its financial crime investigation capabilities, but it also offers an opportunity for the police to demonstrate its commitment to accountability and the rule of law. The IGP must seize this opportunity to transform the police into a professional, accountable, and effective institution that serves the people of Nigeria, not the political interests of those in power. The people of Nigeria are watching, and they will judge the IGP not by his words, but by his actions.
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