Tuesday RapAround:WHO Will Redeem The Nigeria Police Force?

WHO Will Redeem The Nigeria Police Force? By Michael Ayotunde 

To some, Nigeria’s standing in the World Internal Security and Police Index (WISPI) report may not have, after all, come as a surprise.

While a handful of other people may have been taken aback by the report which rated the Nigeria Police Force among worst performing countries including Pakistan, Uganda, Kenya and Congo, some sections may still not be in support of the report, no doubt.

The latter, bearing in mind the Nigerian factor, are usually fond of underestimating and or waving off with a wave of hand, any indictment in whatever form. In this part of the world, people are known to defend what is strikingly obvious; what people can close their eyes and talk about without making mistakes. What is known to be black, it is not uncommon seeing people coming out with every sense of seriousness to call it red. People do this often, without being remorseful. What a world we are in!

Sadly, a good number of people at the lower cadres of the society are at the mercy of these shylocks who daily churn out adulterated information about their respective agencies, institutions.

The report was a fallout of the 2016 World Internal Security and Police Index, WISPI, credited to two bodies, The International Police Association and the Institute for Economics and Peace. The report claimed to have measured the ability of the police to address Internal Security Issues in 127 Countries in four key areas of capacity, process, legitimacy and outcomes.

Come to think of it, the WISPI report, does it have any political undertone? Even if it does, to whose gain? Reason being that it wasn’t up to 48 hours before the Force Headquarters said it rejected the report in its entirety, saying the framers of the so called rating were out to blackmail the Nigeria Police.

The reaction came just as the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, assured Nigerians, international community and stakeholders of policing with integrity and international core values and world best practices.

On issue relating to I-N-T-E-G-R-T-Y and World-Best-Practices is a subject for another day.

The rejection, no doubt, has come and gone; even without taking painstaking effort to compare and contrast, checking if all the ‘Is’ and ‘Ts’ were actually dotted and crossed; that is just it; back to square one. At this, one might be tempted to ask if Nigeria as a nation, ditto institutions in the country will ever learn from history, with a view to actually move out of the woods?

To a lay man in the country, an average police officer is corrupt. There is no doubt about that. This goes beyond mere assumption. It is a tested, proven fact which cannot be faulted even by sincere insiders in the Nigeria police. Of course, we are on the streets. We see things as they occur, unlike someone who relies on reports or feedbacks they get from subordinates – feedbacks that are sometimes doctored.

To the very discerning minds in the society, has it ever occur to them why people will naturally go the way of jungle justice (though inherently frowned at) in the event of any criminal matter? To be precise, instances abound where people have resulted to jungle justice to get rid of alleged criminals be it robbers, ritualists, kidnappers etc. In sane society, at the event of such occurrence, perpetrators of such heinous crimes are handed over to the security operatives (police) for proper prosecution. But in Nigeria, this has never been the case. People would rather prefer to eliminate (burn in most cases) such criminals instead of handling them over to the police – why? Simply because there is lack of trust. People no longer trust the police. No amount of PR can correct this. People may not respond or react violently, but in their sub-conscious state, a good number will never place their bet on the police force.

It is only on paper or in radio and television jingles that we hear ‘police is your friend’. In reality, it is far from it. This writer once had a bitter experience in the hands of a police officer – an experience I can never wish for my most terrible enemy.

At a time, a boy of about three years (from my family) got missing and all effort to trace him proved abortive for two days. After thorough search and search, we reported the matter at a nearby police station. At first, the response we got was encouraging, but suddenly the whole promise earlier made changed. Officers on separate duty were now demanding conflicting payment/settlement before anything could be done on the issue. Could you imagine that for someone that is bereaved? Is that how it is done the world over? Up to the level of stationery, they were not available at the station. We were asked to pay for those stuff, including fuelling of vehicle to convey them to make radio announcement – extortion of the highest order, and in the face of apparent confusion.

And someone who sits in Abuja, is busy telling us police is your friend. Does that holds water in the face of apparent confusion and lop-sidedness in the system?

In the same vein, of all various internal security challenges in the country where have we seen the police force playing key roles, and managing the situations professionally without recording unnecessary casualties?

In the words of the Force Headquarters spokesperson, that the Nigerian police has played leading roles in peace keeping missions abroad, the question is – of what value is their professional performance abroad while citizens in their homeland cannot sleep with their two eyes closed? Charity they say begins at home.

Herdsmen incessant killings in Plateau, Benue, and other areas across the country to mention but a few, are there for all to see. How has the police force fared against the herdsmen escapades? Pages of newspapers are awash with stories of killings, maiming, raping, wanton destruction of farmlands, and farm produce. Yet, how many arrest has been recorded, how many herdsmen-related prosecution by the police in the court of law? How many cases won? But have there been criminal attacks, killings? Yes, countless.

One Pastor Eunice Olawale Elisha was on July 9, 2016, while preaching around Abuja suburb, was gruesomely murdered by yet to be identified assailants. Almost two years down the line, nothing seems to be happening regarding the senseless murder.

With these aforesaid variables, how realistic is the refutal from the force headquarters? How reasonable is the statement from a man/team who sits/based in Abuja (Of course, they will claim they have informants across the country) and usually claim to be on top of raging situations, whereas nothing can be farther from truth in their claims.

This is not disputing the fact that some officers truly deserve the commendation of everyone for their gallant dispositions in their respective duty posts. But for the force headquarters to totally reject the WISPI report and now claim – all by itself, that “Nigeria Police Force is the best in UN Peace Keeping Operations, best in Africa, one of the best in the world”, is nothing but a cheap face-saving publicity. At best, the force should have allowed independent and unbiased body to praise it and not the other way round.

Other notable things about the Nigeria police is the willingness by some of its officers to dance tune to the dictates of their pay masters. The recent show of power between the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi is a classical example. Or is that show of shame by its men a plus to the force?

If the force headquarters claims its cupboard is clean, where does it put extortion, harassment and intimidation of innocent citizens?

They should address the numerous challenges facing the force rather than wasting precious time and resources doing PR to launder the image of the force.