It is indeed a trying time to be a Nigerian, especially for those of us who are enthusiastic followers of news events. Do we talk about the malfunction and lack of productivity in government agencies and public corporations?; or daily bulletins capable of piercing ones heart – from corruption scandals to bogus, mouth-watering figures as foreign loans demanded by federal and state governments, to inhuman acts of kidnapping, ritual, bombing, and so on.
The most embarrassing and psychologically degrading typefaces
on our National dailies was beheld last week: “Nigerian Police ranked worst in
the world.” This is a report by the World Internal Security and Police Index
{WISPI} in its rankings of 127 of the world’s police forces.
The Nigerian Police force was ranked worst at 127th.
And everyone’s gone gaga. I wonder if this is really a REVELATION.
Well it is only a re-echo of what an Average Nigerian has
been ranting over. It is only SHAMEFUL that the rest of the world has got to
hear about it. About the time bomb we call a force.
The organization did some good by even ranking us because in
all honesty we lack a police force, little wonder; every community has a
vigilante group to secure it.
It is not hyperbolic to say that the world’s most populous
black nation is one of the less secured states in the world. Perhaps, the
everyday prayers of devotees haven’t exposed this.
We all know that the Nigerian Police from our civil encounter
with its personnels is not deserving of applause, only that we have not cried enough
or our wailings are not well decoded by those concerned.
The general perspective, which is very correct, is that our
Policemen are rogues, kleptomaniacs, murderers; they molest ordinary citizens,
neglect their civil duties and wear the garment of immorality. A Policeman to a
poor man is like leprosy that should be avoided.
Any one who has had encounter with Police can relate to
bribery, Citizen Brutality, abuse of human rights, abuse of power, extra
judicial killings, unprofessionalism and extreme immorality.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Police force has bemoaned the report and resort to
what it does best: ‘Deny’. In a statement on Saturday, the NPF described the
ranking as a clear demonstration of mischief, ignorance and calculated attempt
to distort the feat being recorded by the force in ensuring adequate security
and safety of Nigerians (Punch reports)
WISPI described the NPF as the worst globally in terms of its
ability to handle internal security challenges; truly there is nothing to deny
in this. It is the authorities of NPF that are suffering from perpetual
ignorance and mischief.
Is it not the same NPF that will say bail is free but ask you
to pay for the biro and paper you would use to write a statement?; the same NPF
that will arrive hours after the crime has been committed, while the hoodlums
must have escaped?; the same NPF that will replace criminals with innocent
citizens? Shey dem use denial swear for our police ni?
WHO TAKES THE BLAME?
Verily verily I say, the citizenry of Nigeria is sitting on a
keg of gun powder with respect to security but it is rather unfortunate that we
lampoon the tortoise for being cunning and not its victims for being foolish.
Unlike most Nigerians, I will excuse the poor police recruits
from the misfortune that has befallen the NPF. I will spare the DPO’s and
Commissioners of police for theirs is only a tip of the iceberg. They are only
victims of irresponsible leadership.
I think it is high time we stopped living in deception and
face the reality on ground.
How do you ask a hungry man to help you roast without
promising him a bit of the meat? Even though we shouldn’t encourage petty
pilferers, should we not condemn authority stealing?
An average policeman on the street is detested, lampooned and
most times humiliated. He is loathed, suspected, and judged for God-knows-what
crime. As much as I agree with the common postulate that there are many sharps
in grains of the Nigerian Police Force. There is no way we would abuse a
one-eyed goat of a one-eyed man without abusing its owner.
We have over 400 lawmakers in Nigeria and they are paid bogus
amount for doing absolutely nothing. Politicians live in opulence while these
men who risk their lives for you and me are made to live in penury.
Policemen protect our lives and properties while theirs are
not safe. Haven’t we seen relatives of policemen wallow in poverty and
destitution after their sons die serving their fatherland? These relatives get
nothing close to compensation.
It is indeed despicable that our governors and senators get
unaccountable allowances and pensions while corporals and sergeants are paid
within the range of 35 to 45 naira, and their pensions stolen by the ‘Mainas’
in top government ministries.
From the meager fund available to them, they buy their
uniforms and boots by themselves and sometimes fuel patrol vehicles from their
own pockets.
It is due to lack of sufficient personnel, inadequate
funding, and tribal discrimination in the NPF that render it incapacitated to
measure up to its law and order mandate.
This is the height of insanity and it must be addressed.
Every Nigerian must speak up against the negligence towards the Nigerian
Police.
It is important that we wake up to the fact that there is
huge wroth in the system, which begs for thorough cleansing and overhauling.
The govt and the relevant ministries and parastatals should
desist from denial and work towards the revival of NPF.
If any government would be serious about security in Nigeria,
it would be ready to care of the Nigerian Police; the government would be ready
to revamp the force with adequate, timely funding and capable, patriotic
leadership.
The Nigerian Police force has suffered enough negligence from
successive governments and if we must get it right. This is the time to do.
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