The Nigeria Police: Going Nowhere Quickly

Prince Charles Dickson

Jos, Plateau Nigeria

Often people ask me why I write on certain topics and issues all the time, like bashing Obasanjo and his government of confusionists, my takes on the education, health and power sector, arguments on ethnicity and the indigene question amongst others. My answer is that I do because I believe that such subjects are important for Nigeria and Nigerians as they are for other nations, but when it appears to me Nigerians and our leaders particularly do not react to these topics the way they should, I repeat them in new essays to remind old readers and recruit new ones to participate in the continuing dialogue.

So again in as many times this year I am focusing my searchlight on the Nigerian Police. To say that Nigeria today is no longer a secure place is an understatement, although with a sense of responsibility I would say that Nigeria is certainly not the worst among ranks but certainly the citizenry of this sleeping giant deserves more than what they are getting. More so with the noise that the present Obj led administration has made. In the history of the nation it has spent the highest amount on the Nigerian Police.

Even the CEO/President Mr. Know-It-All Obasanjo, has in his usual characteristic uncultured manner accused the Police of being accessory to robberies, killings and all the same crimes they are supposed to tackle. The Nigeria Police has had a rugged past and the picture we see in the present does not give us a hope for the future.

Between 1999 and today the Police strength has grown from 112,000 to 320,000 men, despite this increase, crime has equally increased more, because the government in its fast motion to nowhere has not been able to discern the simple fact that even if you recruit 10 million men into the Police and still have 50 million Nigerians hungry, unemployed, frustrated, crime would still be high.

Sadly the Police itself has been one of the worse culprit of poor remuneration and motivation, the take home pay of a Police sergeant is less than N10, 000, because apart from the deductions for all sorts of reasons, inflation has also taken its roll on the money.

The government of the day has boasted about how it has turned every facet of life around, and how Nigeria’s image has improved. This is not news given the lying nature of the government, a government that is a fraud.

Right from the days of Anini the great robber, the Police rather than be the combatant of crime, has been partners in progress to armed robbers, robberies and all manners of social vices. It is that bad, if you have an encounter with robbers you are 70% likely to escape with your life intact and the same encounter with a Policeman in possession a pistol, you will have less than 30% chance of survival. And the government is there window dressing.

Half way into the year the present Inspector General of Police was called to explain to the Presidency, the high increase in crime rate and the man honestly answered, “I have no explanation…”

In today’s Nigeria, I need not sound alarmist or too critical but the bitter truth is that hoodlums, armed robbers are better equipped than the Police in terms of arms, ammunition and resources. In terms of logistics, the robbers have gone a step higher in their modus operandi. Night robberies have been sent into the archives, now it is broad day robberies of banks, traders, houses etc.

In Abuja alone the Police needs 1.2 billion Naira to contain crime, they have established that their ordinary vehicles cannot contain the robbers, so they need Armored Personnel Carriers. – do not blink, it has gotten to this stage.

In Abuja alone in the words of the Inspector General, Sunday Ehindero the Police needs a minimum of eight APC and ten in Lagos at about $500, 000 per one and then a former I.G wacks several billions.

Talking about billions….. The way these billions are mentioned tells you how far we have come as a nation. Nigerians were not known to be thieves, apart from the exceptional and well celebrated cases of the likes of Anini, Sunday Oyenusi, Shina Rambo etc. However, today the unbecoming has become becoming (whatever that means).

Ironically or if I should put it better strangely the Police budget keeps dropping, in 2004 it was 9 billion, this year 4.5 billion, of course I am sure the balance was diverted to operation ‘Pdpify Nigeria and operation “whom the cap fits” 2007 agenda of Obj.

The police has proven beyond reasonable doubt that it is the bedrock of corruption, therefore requesting that they tackle corruption is likened to asking reverend sister to sip Gulder lager beer as water. Policemen on close observation in several commands wear different shades of color black uniforms because they have to sow it themselves or buy from the market.

Despite the poor and degrading nature of our prisons, most Police barracks are not different from rehabilitation homes for juveniles. The Police have been reduced to an agency of ridicule and hatred amongst the populace. The only robbers they shoot are ordinary citizens who refuse to give them the N20 toll. When they conclude an investigation successfully, it must have been that of a landlord and tenant or two- fighting at a bus stop.

Somebody should tell Obj. that we do not have a Police anymore. a Security outfit without equipment, funding, without logistics no communication facilities resort to the very crimes they are supposed to protect us from. Divisional Police Offices are now Banks, the Divisional Police Officer’ are Branch Managers waiting daily for ‘returns’ (bribe) from Marketing Executhiefs (Junior ranks).

When robbers and assassins attack with assault rifles and Police come with Dane guns, it is obvious that there is a lot that is wrong. The Police as it is comprised today lack the wherewithal to combat crime, it is just not prepared for the task.

In a particular armed robbery incident in a Lagos bank the robbers expended over 1000 rounds of ammunition. In less than a year bank robberies have become the in-thing, another incident in Benin, saw over 2000 pellets the Police vehicle was like a painting of bullet holes. In these robberies lives are lost, the Police, the banks, customers, passersby are targets and all the government does is sit and talk of PDP.

The edifice called the Police is a case of epilepsy, from the change of uniform, to increased recruitment of illiterates that can barely spell their names. The problem is not necessarily just that of the Nigerian Police but that of a nation whose leaders have thrown their responsibilities to the gutters.

I end this piece with this nasty but true story. A doctor in a hurry to the hospital to attend to a woman in labour, was stopped by the Policemen at a checkpoint. He just bellowed at the officer on that Saturday morning…. “Don’t you know me…. Commissioner of Health…” the Policeman responded “….sorry sir, carry on”. Only God knows how many robbers would have been told to carry on. On another occasion the former Billion Naira stomach Inspector General was stopped by his own men, they asked him, “Anything for the boys, they could not recognize their Oga. The Policemen probably had not even had breakfast that morning. The situation is bad, let it not be said that we did not talk, write, and even beg the government to do something. May Almighty Allah save us from Policemen that interrogate arrest, and detain goats, hens and crates of beer as witnesses, accused and complainants.