The City Boy Movement has addressed the attendance of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, at their Lagos chapter inauguration.

Following criticism on social media, National Director, Media Monitoring & Rapid Response of the City Boy Movement, Bashir Ahmad, issued a press statement on Wednesday to explain why CP Fatai attended the event.

Ahmad defended the commissioner’s attendance at their Lagos chapter inauguration, arguing it was for standard security duties rather than political endorsement.

“The attention of the City Boy Movement has been drawn to comments, reports and public commentary seeking to attach political significance to the attendance of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, at the inauguration of the City Boy Movement’s Lagos State Chapter,” he wrote in a post on his official X account.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the mere presence of the Commissioner of Police at a public event should not, without more, be interpreted as political endorsement, partisan participation or institutional alignment with the organisers of that event.”

Ahmad stressed that public officers, particularly those charged with maintaining law and order, regularly attend or deploy personnel to public gatherings in the discharge of their official responsibilities.

According to him, such responsibilities extend to political, civic, religious, professional, educational and community events where security considerations require their presence or supervision.

He pointed out that their attendance at such events, standing alone, does not constitute support for, affiliation with or endorsement of any organisation or cause.

“The constitutional and statutory responsibilities of the Nigeria Police Force include the preservation of public peace, the protection of lives and property, the prevention and detection of crime, and the maintenance of law and order during lawful public assemblies,” Ahmad stated.

“These responsibilities are owed equally to all persons and organisations without discrimination and should not be misconstrued as evidence of institutional bias or political preference.

“Accordingly, it is neither fair nor accurate to infer, solely from the Commissioner’s attendance, that the Nigeria Police Force has taken a partisan position or abandoned its obligation of professional neutrality. Public institutions should be assessed on the basis of objective facts rather than conjecture or speculation.”

Ahmad said the City Boy Movement respects the constitutional role and institutional independence of all security agencies, therefore, they neither seek nor expect preferential treatment from any agency of government.

Like every law-abiding organisation, he said he expects only that the lawful activities of the movement will continue to enjoy the protection guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other applicable laws.

“We equally acknowledge and appreciate the professional security arrangements that ensured the peaceful, orderly and incident-free conduct of the inauguration. Professional policing contributes significantly to public confidence in democratic institutions and facilitates the exercise of citizens’ constitutional freedoms, including the right to peaceful assembly,” Ahmad said.

“We therefore urge members of the public, stakeholders and commentators to exercise restraint, promote factual discourse and refrain from attributing partisan motives where no credible evidence exists. Responsible public commentary strengthens democratic institutions, whereas speculation and misinformation unnecessarily undermine public confidence in institutions established to serve all Nigerians.

“The City Boy Movement remains steadfast in its commitment to peaceful democratic engagement, responsible political participation, respect for the rule of law, and constructive nation-building in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The statement addresses backlash from viral videos and opposition criticism by stressing police neutrality obligations and urging factual discourse over speculation about institutional bias.

City Boy Movement is a youth-led pro-Tinubu group founded by the President’s son, Seyi Tinubu, focused on grassroots mobilization, youth empowerment, and support for the Renewed Hope Agenda ahead of the 2027 elections.