IGP Kayode Egbetokun Orders Police to Wear Name Tags, Speaks on State Police Plan

Nigeria’s top police authority has moved to tighten accountability within the force, directing officers nationwide to clearly display their identity while on duty.

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said all personnel must wear name tags on their uniforms to make identification easier for the public, with the only exception being officers engaged in undercover operations.

Speaking during a meeting with senior officers on Tuesday, the police chief stressed that visible identification is a basic professional standard that should not be ignored.

“All police officers should have their name tags. All of us on the high table have our names apart from the undercover among us,” he said, pointing to the presence of Commissioners of Police at the meeting as examples of compliance.

He made it clear that command responsibility lies squarely with state police leaders, warning that Commissioners of Police would be held accountable for any lapses within their jurisdictions.

The directive forms part of broader internal measures aimed at strengthening discipline, transparency and public trust in the Nigeria Police Force.

Egbetokun also addressed the ongoing national conversation around the creation of state police, revealing that the force has already submitted its position to lawmakers.

According to him, the police conducted internal reviews and comparative analysis before forwarding recommendations to the National Assembly on how a state policing system should operate.

He said the move was necessary to ensure that the federal police plays an active role in shaping the structure and operational framework of any future state police arrangement.

The discussion comes amid growing calls for decentralised policing in Nigeria, with proponents arguing that localised security structures could improve response times and address region-specific threats more effectively.