Sowore’s penchant for self-glorification

By Hassan Yahaya

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) has shown strong leadership by promoting over twenty thousand Inspectors to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). This major promotion has earned him praise from many quarters, as it reflects genuine concern for the welfare and morale of police officers across the country.

But, as usual, Omoyele Sowore is trying to take the credit for himself. He claims that the promotions were a result of his #IGPMustGo protest and other demonstrations he has led against the IGP.

This is simply not true. Police promotions are guided by clear procedures based on merit, years of service, and institutional needs, not protests or social media noise. Giving credit to Sowore for these well-earned promotions is not only misleading but also an insult to the thousands of officers who have worked hard for this elevation, and to the police leadership that made it happen.

Sowore has a habit of trying to make everything about himself. While protests can be useful in drawing attention to issues, twisting facts to stay in the spotlight is not activism, it’s deception. It misleads the public and stirs unnecessary controversy.

The recent promotions were not a reaction to any protest. They were the result of deliberate planning by the IGP and his management team to reward diligence, boost morale, and enhance operational efficiency in the Force. At a time when the country is facing serious security challenges, these kinds of proactive steps deserve commendation, not baseless attacks.

Unfortunately, Sowore has made it his mission to unfairly target the IGP with constant abuse, even resorting to calling him unprintable names, all because the IGP remains in office lawfully. And I keep asking myself: where was Sowore when former President Buhari allowed the then Chief of Army Staff, General Buratai, to remain in office long after reaching the statutory retirement age, without any constitutional backing?

That’s why I take Sowore’s campaign of calumny against the current IGP with a pinch of salt—and I urge well-meaning Nigerians to do the same. We must not confuse senseless, irrational attacks on public officials with genuine activism.

Criticism is welcome in a democracy. But it must be based on facts, not personal grudges or the hunger for relevance. It’s time we learned to separate attention-seeking from advocacy, and truth from noise.

Hassan Yahaya is a Journalist and a Public Affairs Analyst. He can be reached at Hassanyahaya@gmail.com