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The Nigeria Police Force: A Threat or a Pride? By Adaeze Okonkwo
Many people in early 19th Century England resisted proposals for a professional, uniformed police force. They feared that an armed force in the hands of the Central Government might threaten their freedom. Moreover, when modern police forces started to develop later in the 19th century, most people were living under the rule of European Empires. On the whole, European police was organised to protect the rulers rather than the people.
However, even the British, who so disliked the idea of armed, military-style police on their own soil, seemed to have had few or no qualms at time about using military police to keep the colonies in subjection.
Of course, the Nigeria Police Force, conspicuously had its roots and origin from the British colonial administration. In its inception, they were referred to as “yan doka”, a kind of law enforcement agency. They worked diligently and were the most fearsome government agency after the military. Incidents of Police brutality, corruption, violence, murder and abuse of power punctuated almost every decade of colonial police history.
After political independence of Nigeria, in 1960, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) started as a humble, honest and concerted institution. This can be explicitly acknowledged when they were deployed in 1963, as part of a U.N. Mission to the then Zaire to monitor and keep peace. They were highly respected and trusted by the people of Zaire because of their exhibition of professionalism, dedication and honesty. What a remarkable mission!
However, the image and good name of the Nigerian police Force started plummeting, precisely, from two decade ago (1980’s 1990s) and fulsomely the present precarious state of its existence.
The present situation of this once robust and outstanding institution is seriously under threat. First and foremost is their pathetic state of service, they are poorly and distastefully equipped, even the training they undergo is a kind of fire brigade approach exercise.
Furthermore, the second most important threat has to do with apparent unwholesome plague that has massively and grievously gripped this once remarkable organisation. This is no other thing than bribery and corruption. In fact, the Nigerian police force and bribery corruption are two inseparable fellow. This menace is plausibly institutionalised among and between members of the police force it has eaten extremely into her soul. It is embedded within. It has truly become the Nigerian policeman’s second nature.
Moreover, I have never seen an institution, agency, or an organisation so much engraved with this monster called corruption like the Nigeria Police Force. This is no prejudice against police force but rather, an ostensible and pragmatic reality.
More so, it is clear that the Nigerian police force, is the most unscrupulous organisation, that the general public has totally lost confidence in and disaffected with. It is still fresh in our memory, the outburst and lashing against the Lagos State Commend, when in 1998 the then Lagos State Police Commission Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, severely fulminated accusation against his men, that they (N.P.F) were conspicuously involved in crimes and crime related acts across the state. This statement is very much relevant even these days, going by the recent vices committed by members of the police force bring us to the recent stinging attack against the force by resident Olusegun Obasanjo, when he Flagrantly declare that members of the Police Force especi! al the Apo killing in Abuja recently. This intransigent character of the police force bring us to the recent stinging attach against the police by President Olusegun Obasanjo, while he flagrantly declared that member of the police force hired their guns to criminals, this, sinister act aid social vices ranging from hired assassination, arm robbery, covering criminals for a return, etc.
One equally disgusting thing about this force is on the relationship between and among policemen. The manner in which they correlate is abysmally absurd. One hardly notices the existence of “espirit de corps”. It is like everyone is having a grudge against the other or a score to settle. There is hardly something like honestly, trust and comradeship among policemen in Nigeria.
Sadly, those at the top massively exploit and maltreat these in the lower cadre. At times, a certain percentage is deducted out of their paltry salary in the name of honouring a visiting officer or taxing them wittingly or unwittingly for a so-called donation for the wedding of a commissioner’s daughter, whereas, the low ranking officers live in dilapidated and semi-prison environment. This is vividly clear of police barrack, across the country.
In addition to that, it turns out to be a night mare for a retired policemen to successfully secure his retirement benefits in a short while. One can spend between one to two years or even beyond before securing his entitlements. Down there at the Federal pensions office in Lagos, they live in the most grisly dehumanised and appalling condition. It is more like a prison without walls. Certain individual, at times, breath their last in the cause of the long and uncertain research for the enigma called pension and gratuity.
It is a fact, that top ranking officials demand huge sums of amount as bribe from individuals in order to facilitate and speed up the procession of their papers and subsequent release of fund.
Noteworthy also is the recruitment exercise, which has become a money making venture for those in charge. it is alleged that people seeking to join the Police Force pay as bribe, between N30,00 and N40,000 before getting entry into the Nigeria police force training colleges across the country. This has led to the recruitment of awkward officers, and perhaps; criminals into the force. When it comes to salary increment, promotion, transfer or any due incentives or favour, one has to oil the palm” of those concerned or “rub their back” before acquiring any of the above entitlements. Let’s not talk about the collection of N20 from motorists and others ate every road ! block across the nation because it has become an institutional or rather, a “constitutional” open corrupt practice. Nigerians now enjoin drivers not to waste their journey man’s time arguing with the men in black when it comes relinquishing N20 to the roadside police officer. Too bad!
It is evidently clear that since the inception of this administration billions of naira has been pumped milt the N.P.F. in order to boost, equip and fully prepare policemen for any eventuality and also to caterer and improve their welfare yet the overall result is nothing to write home about. Top ranking officials still neglect their responsibilities and the order of the day remain skewedly siphoning the much needed public money into police officials private accounts.
Bad and embarrassing stories about the NPF is the same all over the country. It is no more news to hear about policemen gruesomely murdering innocent civilians just because of N20, or hearing about policemen’s involvement in criminal activities, like arm robbery or dishonesty, empowering hard-hearted criminals with their weapons. The big question is: when do we get over all these? I think we will get over all these when a people-oriented government takes centre-stage and reorganise the recruitment and performance of policemen as well as subjecting them to performance monitoring group. By so doing, I think Nigerians will have a new l ease of life over the police.
ADAEZE OKONWO Write in from the Department Mass Communication University of Maiduguri Borno State.
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