Challenges of Nigeria Police and the good officers among them

It is no longer news that the Nigerian youths held the entire country to ransom for almost two weeks, protesting and to some extent vandalising and looting public and private properties.

It was a kind of s coalition of young Nigerians who were genuinely demanding for the abrogation and disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, for their alleged maltreatment, extortion, oppression and extrajudicial killings, perpetrated through the instrumentality of the now disbanded SARS.

However, it is pertinent to stress that many factors have combined to trigger the #EndSARS protest, while police brutality is a dominant factor, poverty that is so palpable in the land that life in Nigeria has become as described by Thomas Hobbes, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.

The question is, why did the Nigeria Police become so notorious in terms of oppression and persecuting of the general public on whose behalf they were paid to protect and maintain law and order?  The answer is simple; the government cannot claim to be ignorant of the harsh, ridiculous and pitiful condition in which the Nigeria Police operate in the country.

For instance, early this year, as reported by the Kano based Triumph newspapers, President Muhammadu Buhari who was on a state visit to one of the North-western states, at the beginning of the raining season, saw one of the junior police officers who was badly drenched by the day’s rain. The president then asked an assistant inspector general of police (AIG) at the scene, “Why are these police officers working in the rain without rain coat?” the AIG could not provide any satisfactory answer to the president.

The president then said; “I will get back to the inspector general of police (IG)”. Mr. President was perhaps aware that there were budgetary provisions for the purpose of acquiring rain coats for the police, but the items were not supplied.

On a personal note, some years back, when I was working for and planning to publish a magazine about the Nigeria Police as an institution, my research took me to the force headquarters (Louis Edet House) in Abuja.

I met the Force PPRO at the time, commissioner for budget of the Nigeria Police and one AIG. They were so frank and bold to me, all their narrations were pathetic as it affects the welfare of the men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force. I was made to understand that most of the officers and men used their personal money to buy uniforms, boots and other kits.

I was also, adequately briefed to understand that there is nothing like maintenance or running cost allowances or provisions earmarked for the thousands of police posts and stations across the country. Worse, all the police formation across the country had no budgeted provision for the fueling of their patrol and crime fighting vehicles. Mind you! These were elite members of the top hierarchy of the police talking to me, about the causative factors militating against efficient policing and welfare of men and officers.

While I don’t support police extortion under any guise, it was glaring to me, that all what the men and officers of the Nigeria Police extort at road blocks and elsewhere were used to maintain and sustain the general logistics for the operation of the police across its formations throughout the country.

At the end of our discussions these police officers assured me that if government could provide the needed funds for the operational requirements and welfare of the police in general, including good remuneration, the hierarchy can order for the instant halting of all sorts of extortions by its men and officers and sanction those found wanting.

It should, however, be noted that, not all the police are bad as being insinuated; There are even philanthropists among them. For instance, just recently one of the civil society organiSations (CSOs), Hope Alive Humanitarian Watch (HAHW), bestowed an award of excellence to Superintendent of Police, Abubakar Sadiq Al’juma, for his humanitarian services in Jos, Plateau State. He was honoured as the philanthropist of the year, for expending over n450 million on humanitarian activities in Plateau state and beyond.

His charity includes; purchase and distribution of 5 trailer-load of rice (3,000 bags) to both Muslim and Christian communities in Jos North and Bassa LGAs of Plateau state, during the Covid-19 lockdown. Al’juma has so far settled the hospital bills of 6,700 poor patients in Jos North and Bassa LGAs.  Through his Al’juma Foundation, the police officer paid the school fees and NECO Examination fees of 5,500 students in Jos North and Bassa LGAs of in the last three years.

Also, the Al’juma Foundation was responsible for the drilling of 10 boreholes in various communities of Jos North and Bassa, as well as the Installation of solar powered street lights at the Naraguta Village cemetery and drilling of borehole in the vicinity.

Similarly, the police officer had ensured the grading of several mountainous streets and areas within Jos North and Bassa LGAs at the request of the communities.

Al’juma’s humanitarian intervention was also extended to the vigilante and neighbourhood watch groups in Bassa and Jos North communities to sustaine their voluntary security operations till date, in both the Christian and Muslim dominated areas. In furtherance of the humanitarian activities, Al’juma has so far refurbished and installed 15 electricity transformers in various locations of Jos North and Bsssa LGAs.

At his Filin-Sukuwa residence in Jos North, the inhabitants of the area are full of praises to Abubakar Sadiq Al’juma, for coming to their aid whenever any personal or community request is forwarded to him.

He has constructed a massive security gate at the entrance of Filin-Sukuwa areas as well as paying for the service of about a dozen security guards manning the gate.

The residential home of Al’juma is always crowded by all sorts of people, irrespective of ethnic or religious background, seeking one favour or the other.

Also, in this Malud festivities, Al’juma donated N2million to the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) for the promotion of orphans’ education in the state, while similar gesture was also extended to other faith-based organisations in Jos North and Bassa LGAs. It is, therefore, indubitable fact that not all police officers and men are bad.

Bilal is MD, Royal Publicity Publishing Company,

No. 8, Shendam Street, Jos, Plateau state. 08167989085

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