The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed reports claiming that it compelled its personnel to buy a handbook titled “Attitudinal Change Handbook for the Nigeria Police Force” for N2,000.
An online report had alleged that the Force ordered all officers nationwide to pay for the handbook, purportedly making its purchase mandatory with a deadline.
However, documents sighted on Monday revealed that the approval for the book’s distribution came through a letter dated May 28, 2025, from the Department of Training and Development, Force Headquarters, Abuja. The letter, signed by the Commissioner of Police (Training), Rashid Afegbua, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, stated that the author, Dr. Joseph Danley, was only granted permission to market the handbook directly to interested officers.
“I am directed to introduce Dr. Joseph Danley, author of the handbook ‘Attitudinal Change for Nigeria Police Force,’ and convey the approval of the Inspector-General of Police to enable him to directly market the handbook to interested Police Officers who may wish to voluntarily procure same,” the circular read in part.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, also debunked the report, describing it as misleading.
He said the sale of the handbook was entirely voluntary, adding that no command had been directed to compel officers to buy it.
“The correspondence from the Force Headquarters made it clear that the book should be sold to interested officers only. I have conducted my findings, and no command has made the purchase compulsory.
If any officer somewhere did that, it should be reported through the proper channel,” Hundeyin said.
Dr. Danley, author of the publication, explained that the initiative was aimed at promoting professionalism and ethics within the Force.
According to him, he had earlier proposed a paid training programme, but the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, approved that the training be made free, while officers could voluntarily buy the handbook.
“We sent a proposal to reorient the mindset of officers. Initially, we charged N25,000 per participant, but the IGP said there was no funding for that. So, he approved that the book be sold voluntarily, while the seminar remains free,” Danley said.
He added that he had personally delivered copies of the book to several commands where interested officers purchased them willingly.
“I have been to some states to deliver the book.
“Those who wanted to buy did so, while I took back the rest. So, I don’t know where the claim of compulsion is coming from,” he said.
The clarification comes amid growing concerns over reports alleging that some police officers were being coerced into making payments not sanctioned by the authorities.