The City Boy Movement has defended the neutrality of the Nigeria Police Force after public comments questioned the presence of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police at the inauguration of its Lagos State chapter, insisting on Wednesday that the officer’s attendance was part of his constitutional security duty and should not be seen as political support.
The group, in a statement by National Director, Media Monitoring and Rapid Response of the City Boy Movement, Bashir Ahmad, said the police have a legal responsibility to maintain law and order at lawful public gatherings and warned that reading political meaning into the Commissioner’s presence without evidence could weaken public confidence in state institutions.
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The response followed public reports and commentary that attached political meaning to the Commissioner’s appearance at the inauguration.
The organisation said it considered it necessary to clarify the issue because public security agencies are required to serve every Nigerian without discrimination and should not be judged on assumptions.
Movement says security presence should not be treated as endorsement
The City Boy Movement said “the mere presence of the Commissioner of Police at a public event should not, without more, be interpreted as political endorsement, partisan participation or institutional alignment with the organisers of that event.”
It explained that senior police officers regularly attend public gatherings or deploy personnel in line with their official duties. Those responsibilities, it said, cover political, civic, religious, professional, educational and community events where security supervision is required.
The organisation stressed that such attendance, on its own, does not amount to support, affiliation or endorsement of any individual or group.
It also pointed to the constitutional and statutory duties of the Nigeria Police Force, which include preserving public peace, protecting lives and property, preventing and detecting crime and maintaining law and order during lawful public assemblies.
The movement said those responsibilities are owed equally to every person and organisation without discrimination. It stated that it was “neither fair nor accurate to infer, solely from the Commissioner’s attendance, that the Nigeria Police Force has taken a partisan position or abandoned its obligation of professional neutrality.”
The group also urged people to judge public institutions using objective facts instead of assumptions or speculation.
Group says peaceful event reflected professional policing
The City Boy Movement said it respects the constitutional role and institutional independence of all security agencies and does not seek special treatment from any government institution.
It stated, “We neither seek nor expect preferential treatment from any agency of government. Like every law abiding organisation, we expect only that our lawful activities will continue to enjoy the protection guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other applicable laws.”
The organisation also expressed appreciation for the security arrangements that accompanied the inauguration, saying they helped ensure that the programme was peaceful, orderly and free of incidents.
It said professional policing plays an important role in strengthening public confidence in democratic institutions while allowing citizens to exercise their constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
The movement appealed to members of the public, stakeholders and commentators to exercise restraint when discussing the event.
It urged them to “promote factual discourse and refrain from attributing partisan motives where no credible evidence exists.”
The group warned that speculation and misinformation can reduce public confidence in institutions established to serve all Nigerians, while responsible public discussion helps strengthen democratic institutions.
The City Boy Movement pledged that it would continue to pursue peaceful democratic engagement, responsible political participation, respect for the rule of law and constructive nation building in line with the Constitution and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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