LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Former Big Brother Naija housemate Leo Da Silva has sparked a public debate with the Nigerian Police Force after criticizing current tactics used to combat “one chance” crime.
Shining the spotlight on the street-level menace that has plagued commuters in major cities, the reality TV star took to X to vent his frustration over what he described as misplaced police priorities, questioning why officers are often stationed at roadside checkpoints instead of monitoring bus stops, which he believes are common hunting grounds for one chance operators.
“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 remarks quickly drew an official response from the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, who cautioned against approaches that could unintentionally expose commuters to harassment or profiling.
“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 said.
READ ALSO: Lagos Named Global Art Destination For 2026 Travelers
He went on to propose a technology-driven alternative, pointing to surveillance infrastructure as a more sustainable solution.
“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.
Unconvinced, Da Silva responded by clarifying that his criticism was not aimed at encouraging commuter harassment but at reallocating manpower toward direct crime prevention. He stressed that the issue lies in how police resources are 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. Use that manpower to sort that. Abuja and Lagos, especially,” he wrote.
The exchange quickly gained traction online, with many Nigerians weighing in on the conversation. Several users echoed Da Silva’s concerns, calling for smarter, location-focused policing that targets known crime hotspots while easing daily stress for law-abiding commuters.
