Big Brother Naija star Leo Da Silva and the Nigeria Police Force have engaged in a public exchange over strategies to combat the growing menace of “one chance” criminal operations in major Nigerian cities.
The debate began on Sunday when Leo Da Silva took to X (formerly Twitter) to express frustration over what he described as ineffective police deployment and to question the usefulness of roadside checkpoints in tackling street-level crimes.
“Nothing pisses me off than ‘one chance’. It’s like mini-kidnapping, mini-banditry. Instead of police mounting useless checkpoints to greet us, why not go to bus stops and investigate these one-chance operators and grab all of them??” he wrote.
His comments quickly drew a response from the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, who cautioned that policing strategies must balance enforcement with protecting citizens from harassment and unnecessary inconvenience.
“I am sure you would come back to complain of police harassment, profiling and unnecessary delays at the bus stops. There are smarter ways,” Hundeyin responded.
He further advocated for technology-driven solutions, calling for round-the-clock surveillance at public transport points.
“Let us start by making moves for 24/7 CCTV coverage of all bus stops. Just in case you’d ask, it isn’t for us to install, but it’ll help us a great deal,” he added.
In a follow-up post, Leo Da Silva clarified that his criticism was not directed at law enforcement officers personally but at how manpower is deployed.
“I don’t know what your first sentence means. Even if that doesn’t affect me, it’s a valid complaint. Instead of deploying unnecessary checkpoints, why not suggest to the force that one chance operators must be caught,” he wrote.
He further emphasized that cities like Abuja and Lagos require more targeted policing due to the prevalence of such crimes.
“Use that manpower to sort that. Abuja and Lagos especially,” he added.
The exchange has sparked broader conversations online about policing methods, public safety, and the role of technology in combating urban crime across Nigeria.
