By Adesakin Adefemi
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Delta State Command, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has warned Nigerians against pressuring security agencies to release or pardon suspected criminals, saying such acts are “shameful” and amount to aiding crime.
Adejobi, a former Force Public Relations Officer, made the statement on Monday in a post on his official X handle. He said he would not entertain calls from individuals lobbying for the evasion of justice, stressing that his stance on fighting crime remains firm.
“I always maintain my stance and principles when it comes to fighting crimes and criminality. Don’t even bother to contact me, pleading for a criminal. It’s shameful, and it won’t work out well,” Adejobi wrote.
The senior police officer went further to declare that anyone who mounts pressure on the Nigeria Police Force or other security agencies to overlook a crime or release a suspect is equally culpable. “Anyone begging and mounting pressure on the police and security agencies to release or pardon a criminal or overlook a crime is also a criminal,” he stated.
Adejobi urged both security personnel and citizens to remain resolute in curbing crimes and vices across the country. “No two ways about it. We need to stand firm, remain resolute in curbing crimes and vices in our society, collectively,” he concluded.
The warning comes at a time when terrorists have reportedly demanded the release of detained fighters in exchange for the freedom of an abducted retired Major General and school pupils in Oyo State, raising fresh concerns about pressure on security agencies.
Adejobi’s remarks have drawn attention to the growing challenge of interference in law enforcement, where public figures, relatives, or community leaders often lobby for suspects’ release, sometimes undermining ongoing investigations and prosecutions.
Security analysts note that such interference not only hampers justice delivery but also emboldens criminal networks, making it harder for police to maintain public trust and operational integrity in the fight against violent crime.
As Delta and other states continue to battle kidnapping, terrorism, and other violent crimes, Adejobi’s statement reinforces the police command’s position that justice must run its course without compromise, and that public cooperation should focus on reporting crime, not shielding offenders.
