By OLADIPO OLUWATOSIN
"Officers have no business escorting parties for land recovery…" — the words of IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police — rang out like a drumbeat. Strong. Clear. Unambiguous. It was not the kind of statement laced with “ifs” or “buts.” It was a firm warning.
But Nigerians have heard many such statements before. The real test is not in the speaking, but in the doing. As the old Yoruba adage says, “Ẹnu dùn ròfọ̀, ṣùgbọ́n àṣeyọrí ló ṣòro” — “the mouth makes soup sweet, but cooking it well is the hard part.”
When Hoodlums Wear the Mask of Heirs
Across Lagos, Ogun, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and beyond, one story repeats like a broken record: armed men — sometimes with police escorts — storming land. They arrive with swagger, machetes, and threats, declaring: “This land belongs to us. Our fathers owned it. We have judgment.”
Sometimes, they produce papers. Other times, nothing but raw power.
They claim to have judgments covering not just one property, but entire communities — 10, 20, sometimes more. It is as though one family suddenly wakes up and declares: “All of you living here are tenants on our father’s farm.”
And the people? They scatter like chickens before a hawk.
The Tears Behind the Walls
Meet Mama Ngozi, a widow. She spent 15 years selling akara and cold minerals to save for her two-bedroom bungalow. Just when her roof was going up, strange men stormed her site.
“They came with police vans,” she said, voice breaking. “They told me to leave or be arrested. I showed them my receipts, my papers. They tore them, saying their family judgment overrides everything. They destroyed my walls.”
Her eyes glazed with tears. “All my sweat is gone. Where do I go now?”
Her foundation now lies abandoned, weeds growing where her children should have been playing.
As the Igbo proverb says, “Nwata kụrụ aka na mmanụ, ya na ibe ya e rie ya” — “when a child dips his hand in oil, it spreads to others.” In the same way, when injustice is allowed against one, it spreads to all.
The Police in the Middle
IGP Egbetokun himself admits: “Every such incident erodes the neutrality of the Force and opens us up to disrepute.”
And that is the heart of the matter. Once upon a time, the sight of a police uniform meant protection. Today, for many, it feels like a signal of betrayal. Citizens whisper: “If land grabbers come with police, who will save us?”
Yes, the law is clear: land matters are civil disputes unless there is crime. But in Nigeria, the line between civil and criminal blurs once an officer’s boot steps into the matter.
As an old Hausa saying goes, “Rana dubu ta barawo, ɗaya ta mai kaya” — “a thousand days belong to the thief, but one day belongs to the owner.” The day the police wear neutrality like a badge, land grabbers will scatter. But until then, families suffer.
The Gospel According to “Judgments”
The grabbers’ favorite weapon is the court “judgment.” But what are these judgments?
- Sometimes, they are real — but only valid for one plot, not an entire community.
- Sometimes, they are as old as colonial days, but dusted off to terrorize modern settlers.
- And sometimes, they are pure forgeries.
The tragedy? Ordinary people cannot tell which is which. So, in fear, they surrender.
As the Bible says in Proverbs 22:28, “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” But in Nigeria today, landmarks are not just removed — they are uprooted, twisted, and resold.
Is the State Real, or Just a Statement?
This is the question burning in the hearts of Nigerians. If the IGP’s words are true, why do land grabbers still thrive? Why do families sleep under bridges while hoodlums sell their sweat to the highest bidder?
Is the state truly present — or is it, as many suspect, just a voice without a backbone?
Because if the state is real, then:
- Mama Ngozi should not be homeless.
- A police van should not be the vehicle of dispossession.
- Hoodlums should not be kings over honest workers.
But if the state is only a statement, then truly, we are all at the mercy of the strongest cutlass.
What Must Be Done
- Police Must Stay Neutral: The uniform should not be for hire.
- Review Dubious Judgments: A taskforce of judges, civil society, and security agencies must sift truth from fraud.
- Punish Rogue Officers: When police back grabbers, they must not just be redeployed — they must be disgraced.
- Digitize Land Registries: Let citizens confirm land status with a click, not with bribes.
- Strengthen State Laws: Land grabbing must attract penalties severe enough to deter even the boldest hoodlum.
Conclusion: Between Hoodlums and Heaven
Land is not just soil. It is identity, dignity, and inheritance. When a man loses his land, he loses his address, his roots, his tomorrow.
The IGP has spoken — “Officers have no business in land recovery.” But words alone are not enough. Nigerians are watching. As another Yoruba adage warns, “Ọrọ kì í tán lágbàlagbà f’ọmọ kú” — “words alone cannot raise a dying child.”
If the state does not match words with action, then indeed, we may all wake up one day to find that the land beneath our feet belongs to someone else’s “judgment.”
And on that day, the people will no longer ask: “Is the state real?”
They will declare: “The state has failed.”
