Police Conference Funds Not Diverted, Says Conference Organizer, Shina Philips

Lenders Consult International Limited has stated that the company and its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Shina Philips, did not divert funds meant for the organization of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers.

The company stated this in response to a report published on March 3, 2026, by an online news platform that alleged funds intended for the organization of the Nigeria Police Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers had been diverted. The company described the allegation as false and said the report failed to include its own side of the story.

According to the firm, it instituted and has been the organiser of the Nigeria Pitch Awards, described as the country’s longest-running football awards programme.

The company said its collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force began after it proposed organising an annual Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers as part of efforts to support capacity building within the force.

It explained that the retreat brings together officers from the rank of Commissioner of Police and above to engage in peer review and exchange ideas on policing and security challenges.

The firm said its proposal included an arrangement where it would approach potential sponsors to fund the conference and retreat, adding that the plan was formally approved and has been operational since 2019.

“Arising from our desire to support the Nigeria Police in their capacity-building efforts, we approached the police authorities with a proposal to organize an annual Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers, bringing together senior officers from the rank of Commissioner of Police and above to engage in peer review and cross-fertilization of ideas.

“Our proposal included an obligation that, as initiators, Lenders Consult International would be responsible for approaching potential sponsors to fund the retreat. This arrangement was well-received and approved from the outset. This arrangement is official and has been in place since 2019,” the statement reads in part.

It stated that the maiden edition of the conference was held in 2019, with the Lagos State Government serving as the host sponsor.

According to the company, the event was declared open by the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented at the time by then Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

Subsequent editions of the conference were held in Uyo in February 2022 and later in Owerri between 2022 and 2024, before the 2025 edition in Abeokuta.

“We kicked off the maiden edition in 2019 with the Lagos State Government as the host sponsor. The event was declared open by His Excellency, late President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, represented by His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo GCON, the then Vice-President. The Conference and Retreat have subsequently been held in Uyo (February, 2022), Owerri (October, 2022, 2023, 2024), and Abeokuta (2025).

The company insisted that it has never received any funds from the police to organise the conference, as the conference is a private initiative in support of the Nigeria Police.

“We would like to state very strongly that we have never, at any time, received any money by way of funding from the Nigerian Police for the sponsorship of the event. As a corporate entity, we have worked tirelessly to keep the Conference and Retreat afloat, even when sponsorship funds were inadequate to cover the event’s costs.

“For the sake of emphasis, we restate that Lenders Consult International, our MD/CEO, and any member of our staff, have at no time received any money from the Nigeria Police, nor have they ever shared any purported loot with retired IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, any past Inspector-General of Police, or Force Public Relations Officer.

The company further stated that the Conference has been a catalyst for police transformation and reforms.

“The Conference has been very impactful and has led to major transformations in the Police Force. One of the key takeaways from the Nigeria Police Conference and Retreat includes, among others, the establishment of the Police Institute in Abuja.

The company further stated that it later proposed the establishment of an annual Nigeria Police Awards and Commendations to recognise outstanding officers within the force.

According to the statement, two editions of the awards have been held in 2024 and 2025 in Abuja and were fully sponsored by the company and its partners.

It also said Philips, described as a FIFA-licensed football agent, had maintained a longstanding working relationship with senior police officers through various projects.

The statement added that he was appointed a consultant to the police in 2020 and tasked with coordinating activities for Police Week 2020, which was later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company said that since the appointment, Philips had continued to support police initiatives without receiving payment, adding that some official trips he undertook alongside the immediate past Inspector-General of Police were self-funded.

Reaffirming its position, the firm described itself as a responsible corporate organisation. It said it had maintained cordial relations with the media since launching the Nigeria Pitch Awards at a world press conference in 2011.

“We have acted as a responsible corporate body by supporting the Government as best as we can. In furtherance of the desire to continue to motivate the officers and men of the Nigeria Police, we again proposed the idea of an annual Nigeria Police Awards and Commendations, which the police authorities embraced. Two editions of the awards have been held in 2024 and 2025 in Abuja. The awards have been fully sponsored by Lenders Consult International and our partners.

“Our MD/CEO, Dr. Shina Philips, has been a patriotic citizen and a FIFA-Licensed Agent who has handled the transfer of some Nigerian footballers. He has enjoyed a strong relationship with the former Inspectors-General of Police and the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force while working on the Projects. He holds the Nigeria Police in very high esteem and is committed to partnering with them to make their job of policing Nigeria easy.

“In recognition of his commitment, he was appointed a Consultant to the Police in 2020 and tasked with serving as the sole consultant for the Police Week 2020, which was sadly aborted by COVID-19. Since then, he has continued to make his contributions without receiving any pay. It is based on this appointment that he has had to travel with the immediate Inspector-General of Police. Some of those trips were self-funded, and at no time was any money paid to him or the Company for any of them.