The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Adewale Ajao, has linked Nigeria’s deepening insecurity to the steady erosion of cultural values and traditions that once held communities together.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum themed “You Against Crime” over the weekend in Abuja, Ajao lamented that many Nigerians — especially the youth — have abandoned age-old practices of honesty, respect, and communal responsibility.
“When did we become our brothers’ killers? That is not our culture,” the police boss asked. “Back then, it was even a crime to be seen around people smoking cigarettes. Today, our youths smoke Indian hemp and celebrate it on social media.”
He recalled how cultural practices once promoted integrity and trust: “In those days, you could see tubers of yam left by the roadside with a few stones marking them. Buyers would drop money there, and the owners would pick it later. Today, people don’t just steal yams; they rob banks. How did we get here?”
Ajao warned that Nigeria faces a “youth bulge” that could threaten its future if left unchecked, stressing that security agencies cannot fight crime alone. “We must take the battle back to the community. Culture is surely a cure to crime and criminality,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, Mandate Secretary of the Women Affairs Secretariat at the FCTA, emphasized the role of families and women in addressing insecurity.
“When women are disempowered, when youths are alienated, when families are broken, crime thrives,” she said. “To win this war, we must move beyond punishment to prevention and rehabilitation. Culture humanizes policy, sustains security, and turns diversity into strength.”
Both leaders urged Nigerians, especially young people, to rediscover cultural values and reject violence in order to build a safer society.
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2025-09-14