A rights group, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC has raised concerns over what it described as the undemocratic pattern of governance adopted by the Bola Tinubu administration, as regards rule of law and law enforcement.
The Executive Director of the RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma raised the concerns in an exclusive chat with TNC correspondent on Friday, in response to the recent arrest of pro-democracy campaigner, Omoyele Sowore, by a police team led by a Chief Superintendent of Police from the Monitoring Team of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun.
TNC can confirm that the Yoruba Union, Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, has demanded Egbetokun’s immediate dismissal and threatened to occupy Nigerian embassies globally if President Tinubu fails to act.
Their outrage somehow aligns with the sentiments of many Nigerians who are tired of the ongoing culture of impunity and the erosion of democratic values under the Tinubu administration.
RULAAC boss, Nwanguma described the recent arrest and detention of Sowore, based on a petition allegedly filed by one of the personal associates of the IGP, as an example of how far the Nigerian government is willing to go to muzzle critics.
According to him, the act is not just an abuse of power, but a descent into tyranny.
“When President Bola Tinubu manipulated the legislative process to extend the tenure of Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who had already reached the statutory retirement age, many suspected a hidden agenda.
“His refusal to step down after reaching retirement age, and Tinubu’s complicity in this illegality, further illustrate the breakdown of constitutional order.
“Today, it is becoming alarmingly clear that Egbetokun is being weaponized as an enforcer in a grand design to crush dissent, consolidate power, and prepare the ground for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 by any means necessary,” he alleged.
The RULAAC boss queried how the country had degenerated to the point where institutions meant to protect citizens are transformed into personal militias for the ruling elite, and police officers detain citizens not for breaking laws but for challenging power.
He feared that Nigeria is gliding towards becoming a full-blown banana republic.
Nwanguma said under Egbetokun’s leadership, the police have lost every shred of credibility, operating as a repressive arm of the presidency.
He posited that Sowore’s detention is part of a broader crackdown on civic space, freedom of expression, and democratic activism.
“It is also a glaring act of hypocrisy. Here is a man who has consistently advocated for the welfare of police officers, now being hounded by the very institution he sought to reform. Egbetokun’s vendetta-driven tactics do not just betray the oath of his office, but also shame the uniform he wears.
“What is most disturbing is the apparent impunity with which these actions are carried out. The IGP is acting like a demigod, unaccountable, untouchable, and emboldened by a president who appears more interested in silencing opposition than upholding justice.
“Let it be clear: Nigeria is not the personal estate of any leader. It is not a dictatorship in disguise. It is a democracy, fought for and defended with the blood and sweat of generations of activists and citizens. President Tinubu must be reminded that power is not eternal, and that history is unkind to those who abuse it.
“We must all rise in solidarity with Sowore and every other Nigerian whose rights are under siege. We must demand the immediate release of all political detainees and call for an independent investigation into the growing use of the police to settle personal scores,” Nwanguma concluded.
