The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has described the launch of the Lagos State Police Band as a major step toward strengthening professionalism, discipline, and public engagement within the Nigeria Police Force.
Egbetokun made the remarks in Ikeja, Lagos, while officially commissioning the Lagos State Police Band, an initiative he said corrects a long-standing structural omission in one of the most strategic and highly visible police commands in the country.
According to the IGP, modern and effective policing goes beyond operational enforcement and must be supported by strong institutional structures that foster cohesion, pride, discipline, and positive public perception.
He noted that the Nigeria Police Band has consistently projected the image of the force positively at official, social, and international engagements, serving as a symbol of unity, professionalism, and national pride.
He assured that the Force leadership would intensify efforts to modernize the band through improved musical equipment and operational support, while charging officers of the newly commissioned band to uphold the highest standards of conduct and performance, noting that they represent the entire Nigeria Police Force.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, expressed appreciation to the Inspector-General of Police for approving and personally commissioning the band, describing the development as a long-overdue institutional necessity rather than a luxury.
CP Jimoh noted that the absence of a police band within the Lagos State Command had remained a significant gap despite Lagos being the most complex and highly scrutinized police formation in the country.
He explained that the command operates under the pressure of a mega city characterized by intense economic activity, dense population, and high security demands.
According to him, the establishment of the Lagos State Police Band will enhance ceremonial duties, boost officers’ morale, improve public trust, and strengthen community policing through music and cultural engagement.
He added that the initiative would also reduce the command’s reliance on the Police College, Ikeja, which is currently heavily engaged in continuous recruit training.
Delivering goodwill messages on behalf of the Lagos State Government, the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, conveyed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s support for initiatives aimed at strengthening security and deepening trust between the police and the public.
The Governor noted that policing in Lagos must go beyond enforcement to include empathy, connection, and sustained community engagement.
The event also featured remarks from the First Female Director of Music of the Nigeria Police Band, Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCO Favor U. Chinonyerem, who described the commissioning as a proud moment in the history of the force and reaffirmed the band’s role in promoting unity and positive police-community relations.
Dignitaries in attendance included members of the Lagos State Executive Council, senior judicial officers, traditional rulers, security stakeholders, and community leaders, all of whom commended the initiative as a strategic step toward humane and people-centered policing.
The ceremony concluded with the formal declaration of the Lagos State Police Band for operational use, reinforcing the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to institutional growth and stronger community relations.