When the police go wrong
By Daniel Anokwuru
Tuesday, April 24 , 2012
As part of the on going reform in the Nigeria Police Force, it will be wise to regain the image of the Nigerian Police. It is no longer news that the image of the Nigerian Police has been rubblished. The police are seen as an enemy in our society instead of friends. In this conflict inflicted environment, officers of the Nigerian Police are never regarded or respected owing to the bad impression which the general public has over them. Changing the uniform of the Nigeria Police will not yield much effort. The remote problem must be addressed, eliminating the bad eggs who have taken advantage of their riffle to intimidate and murder unarmed citizens.
Every sector has good and bad eggs, because in every twelve there must be a Judas. But when the bad exceeds the good, all turns out to be bad. We still have dedicated officers among the police who discharge their duties holding on to their oat of office, but the bad image has enveloped their good side. Like the case of the D P O of pen cinema police station Segun Fabunmi who was arrested for the murder of a fuel subsidy removal protester Demola Aderinde. If an officer who has been handling arm for the past twenty years starting from recruit did not snuff life out from any citizen, he choose to do this when it is time for him to enjoy his labour, then such officer must be mentally defaulted or emotionally depressed.
During the last fuel subsidy strike in January every Nigerian was so pugnacious in relating to each other. Police were deployed to eschew violence as many took advantage of the protest to disposes innocent masses of their properties. I believe that the D P O is not a sanguinary officer, otherwise he would have done this for long. Mind you I am not saying that he is impeccable mainly when life is involved. And my sincere sympathy goes to the bereaved family. What I still don’t understand is when violence or riot turns out to be bloody, to the extent that even the police can not control the situation, the protesters destroying properties, robbing people, and trying to disposes the police of their arms, we found out that even the ordnance can not disperse them neither will harassment fire do, should the police fold their arms and wait to be lynched to death and their guns stolen? In the name of maintaining peace and order, who want to die? Who wants to be a casualty? I am neutral in this case study mind you. This officer who committed the alleged crime I have not mate before. The respect of the Nigerian police has been thrown to the dogs. That is why they are always found guilty irrespective of the crime by the masses. Extrajudicial killings have covered their good image. When armed robbers are arrested, we don’t celebrate but mistake from a serving police officer will call for his head.
Furthermore, before a Divisional Police Officer will be on the road to curtail violence, it means that the situation has gotten out of hand. Again this article is not in favour of any one, but it deals with the entire police force. Sometimes the police might be right. Think of a situation where a gun is handed over to you to put a troubled area under control, on getting there, behold street urchins outnumbering your team approaching and brandishing different kind of weapons not even warning shoots in the air could stop them, face to face with death.
As number one man what will be your faith? Definitely you will wait to be killed as a good citizen who died in active service. But for me, I will empty the whole bullets to save my life because no one wants to die, if I exhaust the bullets I will go for the bayonet. If Nigeria is worth an officer laying down his life for, then in restoring the image of the police, the police deserve a better welfare and viable life Assurance. Most time the only language we understand is force that is why a civilian will fear an army officer on mufti than a police officer on uniform.
During the fuel subsidy removal strike, many people were robed, cars vandalized. I was robbed twice at Okokomaiko and Oluti bus stop along the Badagry express way in Lagos.
Even the presence of police men could not stop them as they blocked the road throwing bottles at the officers. I will never support any policeman nvolved in extrajudicial killing, because life is from God. Also any officer who is adequately armed, seeing yourself in a close shelve with death and did not save his life when he has the means to do so, to me is a fool. Unless you are a good Christian who believed that your sins will be transferred to any one who robs you of your life. It implies that you will join the teachers to get your reward in heaven.
As they say, police are our friends we must embrace peace. It is only when we see the above slogan as truth that we can achieve peace and unity. In restoring the police Image, we should endeavor to restore our own image and impression towards the police. To achieve the best form the police, we must start from community policing if we are ready to fight crime.
Anokwuru is on the staff of The Sun.
