BREAKING: Inspector-General Egbetokun Begins Renewed Harassment Of Sowore Over Police Promotion Scandal Involving His Mistresses

The Nigeria Police Force under embattled Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has again summoned a former presidential candidate and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, to appear before a police panel in Abuja.

This time, the invitation dated 1st August, 2025, and signed by Head, IGP Monitoring Unit, Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, DCP Akin Fakorede, claimed the force was investigating allegations made on 31st July, 2025, where Sowore’s name "featured prominently." 

“In view of the foregoing, and in the spirit of fair hearing, you are kindly requested to interview the undersigned through the SP Abdulhafiz Garba, at the Monitoring Unit, First Floor, Force Headquarters Abuja on Monday 4th August, 2025 by 1000hrs to shed more light on the allegations,” the letter read.

According to top sources, the latest invitation and planned harassment of the activist is connected to recent reports by SaharaReporters exposing how the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun approved a preferential promotion of one Bukola Kuti and other female officers, who are in a romantic relationship with him. 

In February 2025, Sowore was charged to court by same Egbetokun, over allegations of recording policemen who were allegedly demanding bribes on the road to Lagos airport.

The charge formed part of a broader case which was intended to silence the former Presidential candidate’s activism and documentation of alleged misconduct within the force.

In the latest plot to harass the fiery activist, multiple sources within the force told SaharaReporters that Sowore is being summoned over the series of reports exposing the IGP Egbetokun's amorous affairs with female officers and promotion scandals rocking the police force. 

This newspaper had reported that the female officer, Kuti, who currently serves as PSO 3 (Principal Staff Officer) to the IGP, has risen to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), just 10 years after joining the force.

Competent sources that within the corridors of Louis Edet House, especially the IGP’s 7th floor office, claimed the female officer is not merely the PSO, "she is the gatekeeper, the enforcer, and the queen of the harem." 

Officers say she routinely targeted and undermined female colleagues she suspected of having near or remote affairs with the IGP. 

"Her most infamous turf war was with a Superintendent of Police (then DSP), one Victoria David, the IGP’s official secretary.

"Victoria, a northerner celebrated for her beauty, had also become the subject of gossip and surveillance after Force PRO, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, posted a photo of her on Instagram in 2023, referring to her as the “IGP’s pretty secretary," one of the sources had revealed. 

Insiders have described her promotion as highly irregular and far ahead of her contemporaries, many of whom remain at the Superintendent of Police (SP) level.

Last Wednesday, SaharaReporters reported that the Police Service Commission (PSC) had approved the special promotion of 37 senior police officers handpicked by Egbetokun, but internal uproar within the force has stalled the public announcement of the list.

The promotions, largely considered controversial, have sparked ethnic and institutional tensions within the Nigeria Police Force.

What has also sparked particular outrage is that Kuti reportedly spent only six months as a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) before receiving the controversial promotion to ACP — a career trajectory seen by many within the force as a product of her close personal ties to the IGP rather than merit or seniority.

In January, Kuti was among the police officers decorated with new ranks by IGP Egbetokun during a ceremony held at the Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Sources further revealed that Bukola Kuti is one of two female officers handling the IGP’s personal and domestic affairs.

The second officer, identified only as Yemisi, holds the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and is said to accompany the IGP on official and personal trips frequently.

Yemisi, who reportedly began her service as Egbetokun’s orderly, allegedly relocated to Abuja after he was appointed Acting Inspector General of Police in June 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, replacing former IGP Usman Alkali Baba.

“Kuti’s mates are police superintendents. She had only spent six months in the CSP rank before she was promoted to ACP,” one of the sources had said.

“She handles IGP domestic affairs in addition to another lady called Yemisi, who constantly travels with the IGP. Yemisi is also an ASP.”

Before his appointment, Egbetokun served as Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department at Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Despite her elevated rank, Bukola Kuti is reportedly not involved in substantive police work. Instead, she is said to operate primarily as a contractor responsible for providing catering services within the police establishment.

"This woman doesn’t even do real police work," said one source.

"She handles domestic duties and contracts, but keeps rising above others who actually work. She is responsible for cooking as a contractor for police work."

Her promotion has left many officers demoralised, especially those who joined the force around the same time but remain in lower positions despite years of service and experience.

According to insiders, the police leadership has refrained from making her latest promotion public due to the sensitivity of the matter and fears of backlash over ethnic imbalance in recent special promotions under IGP Egbetokun’s tenure.

In a related development, Asuquo, another senior staff officer believed to have been responsible for managing the IGP’s official workload, was removed in connection with the recent age falsification scandal that rocked the force. His removal cleared the way for Kuti’s promotion and expanded influence.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that out of the 37 officers promoted under “special consideration,” 30 were allegedly of Yoruba origin—fueling growing concerns that IGP Egbetokun is presiding over a regionally biased or “provincial” police leadership.

The development has sparked discontent across various police commands, particularly among officers who believe they were overlooked for promotion despite being qualified, allegedly due to ethnic considerations.

“Out of the 37 newly promoted senior officers, 30 are Yorubas, and now the issue is how to pacify a fractured police force that already felt the IGP was running a provincial police force before making the controversial list public,” a top source had told SaharaReporters earlier in the week.

According to sources, suggestions had been made to release the list in batches to avoid backlash, but pressure was mounting on the PSC to go ahead and publish the entire list despite the ongoing internal discontent.

“There have been suggestions to release the list in batches to ease tensions within the police force, particularly among officers who were overlooked for promotion due to ethnic bias,” a source said.

Several of the promoted officers are said to be close associates of the IGP, either currently working with him on the 7th floor of the Force Headquarters in Abuja or longstanding allies from his previous postings.

Monday’s protest was staged by retired police officers demanding better welfare and pension payments. The retired personnel marched to the Force Headquarters in Abuja to express grievances about poor conditions of service and neglect of police families.

Sowore, who was part of the demonstration, described it as “historic” and a step toward advocating for a fairer policing system in Nigeria.