Otse issued the apology in a video on Friday after reflecting on his comments at the conference, where he had described the military, police, immigration and customs personnel as “unknown gunmen” while discussing Nigeria’s insecurity challenges. He acknowledged that the way he presented his argument was unfair to many security personnel who are genuinely risking their lives to protect Nigerians.
The activist said his remarks were particularly unfair to soldiers deployed to frontline areas to fight Boko Haram and other threats. He noted that many military personnel had sacrificed their lives in the course of protecting communities and the country, and said his comments could discourage officers who were serving under difficult conditions.
Otse explained that his original intention was not to accuse every member of the security agencies of wrongdoing. Rather, he said he was attempting to draw attention to what he described as “bad eggs” within the security system whom he accused of corruption, sabotage and leaking information.
He maintained that he had evidence supporting some of the concerns he raised but admitted that his broad description could have created the impression that the entire security establishment was involved in criminal activity. He therefore apologised to the Chief of Defence Staff and asked that his apology be conveyed to soldiers serving in the field.
The apology was also extended to the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Immigration Service, as well as families of security personnel who have died while serving the country. Otse said the sacrifices of such personnel should not be undermined by the way he framed his criticism.
At the same time, Otse did not withdraw his broader concerns about misconduct within the security agencies. He maintained that some personnel could still be involved in corruption or sabotage and urged the leadership of the agencies to identify and deal with such individuals rather than allowing allegations against some officers to be interpreted as condemnation of everyone in the services.
His latest position represents a significant qualification of the language he used during the NBA conference. At the event on August 25, Otse had defended his invitation to participate in the discussion, saying he was not there to teach lawyers about the law but to share his experiences of insecurity and violence in Nigeria.
The remarks subsequently attracted criticism and scrutiny, including from Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana, who questioned the decision to have Otse participate in a specialised discussion on national security. The controversy surrounding his appearance was further heightened by separate allegations he made concerning the conduct of some police officers at checkpoints.
In that separate allegation, Otse claimed that some officers at checkpoints identify wealthy travellers and pass information about them to kidnappers. The Nigeria Police Force rejected the allegation as unsubstantiated and invited him to provide evidence to support his claims, while stating that credible information about misconduct would be investigated.
Otse's apology does not amount to an official finding that any of the allegations he previously made are true or false. Rather, it addresses the manner in which he characterised the security agencies collectively and acknowledges that his wording could have unfairly portrayed personnel who are not involved in the alleged misconduct.
The development has therefore shifted the controversy from the substance of Otse's wider allegations to the responsibility of public commentators to distinguish between alleged misconduct by individuals and the conduct of entire institutions. His latest statement suggests that he now recognises that distinction while continuing to demand accountability for personnel he believes may be compromising security operations.
For the security agencies, the episode also underscores the importance of responding to specific allegations with evidence-based investigations. For public commentators, it highlights the potential consequences of making broad claims about institutions whose personnel operate in sensitive and dangerous environments.
Otse ended his apology by urging security personnel who are genuinely protecting Nigerians not to be discouraged by his earlier comments, while maintaining that those allegedly involved in sabotage should still be held accountable.
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