By Odita Sunday
The Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Adewale Ajao, has attributed Nigeria’s rising insecurity to a steady erosion of cultural values and practices.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum themed “You Against Crime” over the weekend in Abuja,
Ajao lamented that many Nigerians, particularly the youth, have abandoned traditions that once fostered communal peace and discipline.
“When did we become our brothers’ killer? It is not our culture,” he said. “Growing up, it was even considered a crime to stand close to where people smoked cigarettes, let alone engage in smoking. Today, our youths openly smoke Indian hemp and celebrate it on social media.”
The police commissioner recalled how honesty and trust defined society in the past, citing examples where farm produce could be left unattended by the roadside and buyers would leave money behind without supervision.
“Now, people are bold enough to rob banks in broad daylight. How did we get here?” he asked.
Ajao emphasized that restoring cultural values is critical in addressing crime and insecurity. “We need to go back to our roots. The society today is suffering from youth bulge. If we don’t take care of these youths, we destroy the future. Security agencies cannot do it alone; the battle must go back to the community. Culture surely is a cure to crime and criminality.”
In her keynote remarks, Mandate Secretary of the Women Affairs Secretariat, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, echoed the commissioner’s concerns.
She warned that broken families, alienated youths, and disempowered women create fertile grounds for crime.
“If we are to win the war against crime, we must go beyond punitive measures,” she said. “Preventive and rehabilitative strategies rooted in culture can humanize policies, sustain security, and turn our diversity into a strength against societal decay.”
Both speakers called for a renewed commitment to cultural values and community responsibility as vital tools in restoring peace and order in Nigeria.