ABEO KUTA, Nigeria — Ogun State’s Ministry of Justice pushed back Saturday against reports suggesting its February 18 advisory criticized police. The notice, officials said, aims to curb a rising trend where people file criminal complaints over civil or domestic disagreements.

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Oluwasina Ogungbade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, released the clarification in Abeokuta. He explained that such misuse floods police resources. Officers must investigate every complaint, he noted. That often means taking statements, summoning suspects and holding them in custody while sorting facts.

Only later do investigations reveal many cases as purely civil matters. By then, personal freedoms have suffered, according to the ministry. Complainants and their lawyers bear the blame, the statement charged, for framing disagreements as crimes.

Ogungbade praised police leadership during a Friday radio show on Eagle 102.5 FM. The program, titled ‘Judicial Accountability: Balancing Independence and Responsibility,’ highlighted the professionalism of past and current commissioners. He specifically commended incumbent Lanre Ogunlowo and former officer Frank Mba, a lawyer who stuck closely to criminal enforcement duties.

Officers in Ogun State grasp the line between civil and criminal cases, Ogungbade said. Both past and present leaders have trained their teams to avoid civil entanglements. The ministry touted its strong ties with the Ogun State Police Command. No media spats needed for internal fixes, it added.

Police handle all reports as required by law. But frivolous ones pull focus from real crimes, the ministry warned. It called on the public—lawyers, activists, family members and others—to honor police limits. Dragging officers into private feuds wastes time and money.

Such actions risk human rights issues too, officials said. The state faces extra costs and distractions. Preserving criminal justice integrity protects everyone, the ministry affirmed. Due process stays front and center in Ogun State.

Ogungbade’s radio comments reinforced the advisory’s intent. He urged restraint in petitions. Civil courts exist for those fights, he implied. Police resources must chase actual threats.

The February 18 release sparked confusion. Some read it as a police rebuke. Saturday’s statement set the record straight. It reaffirms the ministry’s rule-of-law commitment. Justice flows smoother without these distractions, officials maintain.