Before now, I have written three topics concerning the Nigerian Police, checkpoints and the order of the new Acting Inspector General of the Nigerian Police (I.G.P.) Alhaji Mohammed Dikko Abubakar directing all police formations to dismantle police checkpoints onNigeriaroads. As rightly observed, when the Acting I.G.P newly handed down the said order, many policemen found it very difficult to obey the instruction. A typical case as discussed in this column was the indiscriminate check points mounted at New Owerri axis of Owerri Metropolis probably done by the Police at New Owerri. This column took it up until that despicable act abated two weeks ago. Till the time of this write-up, we no longer see the police ‘roadblock’ in the area.
However, there is a saying that no matter how a lunatic is cured, he must always behave in a peculiar manner’. Accordingly, it has become a usual practice in most rural communities in Imo State for police attached to Divisional Police Stations to ‘lay ambush’ on major roads leading to most markets on market days. These policemen in question usually mount ‘road blocks’ as early as 4am, carrying guns and sticks. They wait for people, harass and intimidate them as they are going to the markets and finally do the usual thing i.e. extortion of money from them. They also stay at such checkpoints and do the same to people who are returning from the markets.
Many a times, I have witnessed the police from Ezinihitte Mbaise Police Station mounting roadblocks and extorting money from people along Akpodim-Ife Roadand Chokoneze-Orie Mbaise Road. They come out as early as 4am to wait for any who would plight on those routes. This they usually do on every ‘Orie Mbaise Market day. Some days ago being the 30th April 2012, the police in Ezinihitte Mbaise ofImoState were in a serious show of shame. It was on one of the roads leading to ‘Nkwo Mbaise’ Market located at Itu in Ezinihitte Mbaise. It was very early in the morning around 6am. It was the “Nkwo Mbaise’ Market Day. Usually, on such days, people who have transactions in such markets set off early. On that fateful day, a team of policemen with a black Hilux Jeep with an inscription’ Community Policing Team 44 A’ wanted to extort money from a fellow policeman who was riding a motorcycle. It was a case of ‘ewu ndaatara okwuru ndaa’ (Ndaa’s goat ate Ndaa’s Okra). Initially, this team of policemen did not know that their ‘prey’ was their colleague who works in one of the police formations in Owerri. When this colleague of theirs later identified himself, the team still insisted on impounding his motorcycle claiming that their colleague did not identified himself early. It was a very shameful scene as fight broke out between the team and the victim. The rest is now story.
Unfortunately, police formations that are involved in these despicable acts have D.P.O.s. These DPO’s are the ones who authorize such extortions probably to get ‘returns from the boys’. That is a proof of the extent morals have degenerated in the Nigerian Police Force.
I have said it times without number that no policeman inNigeriatakes anything less than =N50,000.00 as monthly salary and allowances. There is also some other periodic entitlements paid from time to time. Salaries to policemen are promptly paid and they are salaries of a Federal Government Agency standard. This is far above what most states inNigeriapay their civil/public servants. What is the monthly take home of a graduate-teacher in a state government owned secondary school? Therefore, it baffles me what a policeman will be doing with =N20 from a petty trader or a commercial ‘okada’ rider especially the ones from rural areas. The irony is that such police intimidations, harassments and extortions do not happen in the northern part of this country. They are more rampant in the south and that is why any policeman posted from the south to the north sees it as a punishment because that implies the end of ‘fringed benefit’ from extortion.Ironically, the ‘robbery’ and assault motorists encounter from the police every second is far above the one from the conventional robbers.
However, in as much as police ‘roadblocks’ is one of the most effective ways of checking security threats in our country but what seems to tarnish that method is the =N=20 syndrome. It has really eaten so deep into fabric of the Nigerian Police. Nevertheless, not minding the disadvantages of removing police check points from Nigerian roads, people seem to be happier with it. Journeys are now smooth and accidents on the roads have reduced because of the absence of collision of vehicles with obstacles and barricades the police use in building their check points. Recently, the Imo State Government provided hundreds of operational vehicles for the police in the state. Instead of using the vehicles for real policing, they either used them for private purposes or to mount illegal checkpoints. Many of them have converted the vehicles to ‘toys’ with the rampant ways they blow sirens on roads in Owerri. Ordinarily, siren is supposed to alert any environment of an emergency situation. But unfortunately, the case ofImoStateis so unfortunate. Police in the state most at times, use their own siren as either horns or an instrument to intimidate and stampede road users out of the roads. Siren has become so abused in the state that it is no longer seen as a signal for emergency situation. The other day, armed robbers came to a bank that is 400 meters away from the Imo State Police Headquarters, held the bank and the entire Owerri Metropolis to ransom for up to one hour, paraded on foot in the streets and roads at the heart of the town and escaped unchallenged. The irony in the whole saga was that as at the time of the robbery, every means of communication was used to alert many people. People were calling with mobile phones and sending text messages across. Even some radio stations in the state alerted the public but the police seemed not to be aware. As usual, it was after the robbers had escaped successfully that we saw some security agencies blowing sirens in the town. Habba! I really appreciate the challenges facing the Nigerian Police. Poor motivation, poor funding, corruption, lack of insurance to dependants in case of untimely death of policemen, lack of proper training, lack of sophisticated weapons to match criminals etc. However, these challenges have nothing to do with the ones the force has created for itself. For example, nothing can justify a policeman mounting ‘roadblock’ carrying riffle in one hand and using the other hand to collect money from motorists. How can a policeman challenge security threat when he is carrying firearm in one hand and using the other hand to collect ‘roger’? One cannot eat his cake and have it’.
Interestingly, in his speech to top police chiefs earlier this year the Acting I.G.P. had this to say: ‘…toll stations in the name of checkpoints adorned the highways with policemen shamefully collecting money from motorists in the full glare of the public’. Continuing he said ‘These illegalities, thrived under the ACP CIDs and ACP Operations’ watchful eyes. “Our respect is gone and the Nigerian Public has lost even the slightest confidence in the ability of police to do any good thing”. The IG consequently declared that the force must be purged of corruption.
I remember that I expressed my doubt on the effective implementation of the I.G.P.’s riot act. Government is always advocating for unimpeded exportation of agricultural products from the rural communities. However, such unwholesome police practice has posed a great threat to this. Also, I feel Imo State Government is doing its best to help the police fight crime in the state. But the police should help us and themselves also.
However, the police authorities seem to be making progress. At least the removal of checkpoints mounted by New Owerri Police Station at New Owerri is instructive. Nevertheless, the case of police in Aboh Mbaise, Ezinihitte Mbaise and other rural areas who witness police intimidation on market days is another test case. Therefore, it is my humble appeal to police authorities to ensure that their men no longer make life miserable for people on market days in the rural areas. Also, the so called educated persons in such communities should try and bring such acts to the knowledge of both the government and the police management. The citizens on their own part should rise to protect their right against unlawful acts of the police. They should be bold enough to refuse giving money to the police no matter the amount of intimidation. Traditional rulers, community leaders, town unions and the community members should mobilize and peacefully stop the police from these acts. They can also send delegations or protest letters to police authority.
Be that as it may, it is my humble submission that the first step in restoring the dignity of the Nigerian police is by putting a stop to police extortion of money from motorists in public roads inNigeria. I believe that if that is done, other aspects of problems confronting the force will be gradually put in place.
