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If she were shot-dead by a white cop,
we would have said it was an act of racism... In short, why am I saying this,
if the same scene which happened some days ago, where a gang of police officers
intimidated the people they swore an oath to protect, if it had ensued abroad
or south Africa, we would have joyfully looked for a name to brand that deed;
xenophobia, racism and the likes. Nigerian Police have being acting in a state of impunity for a very long time(no apologies to my police folks) and it is high-time something is done about it.
But this ugly incidence happened
right here and nobody is saying anything. It even happened in Lagos. The victim
was an Igbo family and
nobody is saying anything. The only thing they are
saying is that, they have dismissed the culprit cum cop, for misuse of his
firearm. What happened to the remaining 6, who were involved in intimidating
and screwing the people they are supposed to protect?
We can't have a perfect system, true
that, but we can have a perfect work in progress in our system. In the sense
that, discipline and justice should be at force even among our Forces. Amidst
the good cops, there are so many bad eggs, who should be flushed out. Some
months ago, I was at the station for battery/domestic issue, involving two
persons, and I noticed that bail is not free any longer (despite the writing on
the wall that it is free), the victims were asked to pay 40k before they were
set free. I made attempts to solicit for them and bail them on that faithful
day, myself and the victim's wife, only to be greeted and threatened by a
'drunk' officer... He said "una better leave my station before I shoot you";
like it wasn't tax payers that were used in building the station and pay their
salaries.
Well, the next morning I headed to
the station and made a plea to the DPO, finding out that he finished from my Alma
Mata, the University of Ibadan, as a Theatre Art student. He played mum to the
whole event, as though he didn't discern what was happening in his station and
can never hurt a fly, as if those officers are not going to give him his 'cut'.
Well, they (the victims) paid the money and were set free in debt, in debt to
the one who borrowed them the money for bail.
The system is so corrupt that it
needs purging. The beast in us still exist, no matter the level of civilisation
we attain (it is predominant in the lives of the Nigerian Police). How on earth
will you fire a gun at a tricycle because the driver speed off and didn't stop
when you asked him to (so you could collect your usual egunje/carrot), knowing
fully well that the driver and his family were all in it. You ended up slaying
the wife and scarring the husband.
You confronted a single mother who
travelled down from the State to see her daughter...and all you could do is fetch
out your firm-arm and fired out the last breath of the woman, because she
didn't give you 'egunje'/carrot; right in front of her daughter and friends.
What other horrid action can be worse than the aforementioned. Even the devil
fears and envy's the Nigerian police, as they have become more carnal and
wicked than the devil herself (prove the devil is not a woman...).
I was once a victim of police
harassment at the age of 18, when I protested to speak with a lawyer before
penning down any Statement, while I was arrested for possessing a laptop and
gadgets that obviously belongs to me. I remembered being given a 'dirty slap'
by a female officer for refusing to write that statement.
I have come to notice that they
intimidate the poor and middle class, and worship and venerate the rich and
politicians. Things must change, since we are in the era of change.
A friend narrated an incidence that
happened at his' work place, where his gate-man was issued a letter to visit
the station to help the police on an investigation regarding a theft in the
next building. He visited, only to be disallowed to leave, except the 'poor'
Mallam pays a bail charge of 10k. Surprisingly, the Mallam spent the whole day
and night there because he didn't have such money on him and had no access to
money (except police decided using POS instead of firm-arms). The gate-man was
rescued by staffs who came the next day and didn't find Mallam on duty...
It’s quit derisive that our forces,
who are being maintained with tax-payers cash, have turned themselves into
beast of pry and an object of public irritant. You see some not even offering
to pay transport fare in public transport (at least wait until the conductor or
driver ask you to keep the money), acting as though those people (motorist) do
not pay taxes, as if the 1999 Constitution or Police Act says officers should
not pay for their transportation. You see a police officer well-oiled early in
the morning and at night, that he (mostly the male officers are reckless) can
barely work properly. They are mostly known to be looking broke and unkempt.
That's why the Nigeria Police Force is arguably the most repellent profession
in Africa.
They hardly improve their education,
they are mostly comfortable stuck in one place collecting 'egunje/carrot'. Send
some to training, they misuse the opportunity. To be posted to check-point is a
blessing, to be sent to a crime-scene (especially robbery) is punishment to
them.
Fine, police brutality and harassment
is mostly experienced in most part of the world, should we then smile and
accept mediocrity in our policing? Say no to police and security operative
intimidation today before you become a victim. Let us stand up against them.
Join the Hashtag:
#CallNGRPoliceToOrder
#StopPoliceBrutalityinNGR
Richard Oluseye (@Roluseye)
Speaks:::::
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