With Adetunji Ayodbrown
Police is your friend’ is a popular saying but many have argued that
aphorism is nothing but ordinary slogan on bumper stickers, their
reasons; these days we’ve seen many life complicated scenarios which
no one could imagined because no matter how it happens, when the snipe
and the mussel struggle it is the fisherman that gets the benefits.
And in no small measures many Nigerians had suffered and learnt life
difficulty lessons also in very hard ways from the hands of who are
suppose to be their friend.
Many had forgotten that the world is already broken and that is why we
need good cops, but when the cops became the opposite of friendly
while rank and riches always reckon upon deferential treatment in our
society, with sons and daughters of ordinary Nigerians suffering
untold and unnecessary hardships in the hands of law enforcement
agents and agencies. Ironically, while good citizens are still
thinking on how to end police highhandedness and brutality, Oga Frank
thinks it is okay to try brush the teeth of an unfriendly lion. Police
is not your friend, he rhetorical said.
This is what Nigerian Police Force had shown and thought many
unfortunate citizens whenever such situations arise. A case of giving
the masses something by giving them nothing, imagine this, ‘You have
the right to search a policeman before he searches you’, was a
statement credited to the spokesperson of Nigerian Police, Frank Mba.
The statement titled, “(Part 2) Tips For Safe And Cordial Conduct
During An Arrest”, if an officer is about to search a citizen or a
property, that citizen has the right to first search the policeman in
order to ensure that no evidence is planted. According to the
announcement, Police admitted that Nigerians have the right to search
its men in certain situations when the officers are about to carry out
inspections…but how it should be done or carried out was not spelt
out the Oga Frank.
Yes, no one has the right to take another man’s life, but this is no
law to be obeyed by the Nigerian police force many had concluded.
Eye-witnesses, friends and family of many innocent people like Kolade
Johnson will never forget this ‘supposed horror film made live and
real’. He was killed in cold blood after being hit by a stray bullet
fired by police officers during a raid in his neighbourhood of Lagos.
The news and reports pointed that the killers were from the notorious
Nigerian police’s Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, FSARS. But a
police source at the Lagos State Police command revealed it was a
detective with the anti-cultism unit who fired the bullet that killed
the man.
An oath is an oath which should bind whoever that might have sworn to
it, but reverse seems to be the case here in Nigeria. When the law
enforcements agents are the biggest offender and culprits flouting
these oaths and laws, then how else can these be describe. Indeed,
power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, men in black
with guns aren’t no friend at all, if you doubt this ask many victims
and their families.
Good cops are supposes to protect life and properties, not torn it
apart. As many now tagged and called our men in uniforms, especially
the police, ‘licensed criminals’ on the rampage, unleashing terror on
its innocents. Though the SARS was renamed as Federal Special
Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and were ordered not to attend to civil or
commercial matters again, but attend strictly to armed robbery and
kidnapping cases. Still there were scores of reported cases of police
brutalities, many sharing their torrid tales of extortion and wanton
abuse in the hands of law enforcement agents meant to protect them.
From harassment, threats and led at gunpoint to empty your bank
accounts to the near-death experience of a drunk officer discharging a
live firearm indiscriminately…can anyone ask such men in black any
question, not to talk of searching them, funny indeed.
Aside extra-judicial killings and unbridled extortion, most men of
FSARS squad are said to be notoriety and deliberate violations of
human rights, stench of outright incompetence, the intense outcry over
this brutality, VP Yemi Osinbajo, ordered the overhaul of the squad
which I guess should include psychology test among others. So also,
we’ve heard and seen cases of suppose ordinary domestic fight between
man and wife turned to serious calamity for the husband, because she
had officers and her unfortunate husband was in daylight paraded with
armed robbers and other criminals with no qualms…can these men
resist their unfortunate mishaps, for where, can they even question
their arrest, them no fit.
Truly, licensed criminals are the most dangerous of all humans,
Nigerians reaction to the video of Police officer who told Bus Driver
that even “God supports stealing” surfaced on the social media.
Though, it is known that citizens has the right to demand to know
reasons for whenever an arrest is about to be made, surely but many
will never bothered to ask because of many unfortunate incidences that
suppose be only ‘questions and answers session’ were often but turned
blooded and in the long run swept under the carpet with any
compensation of sought.
But between citizen and police, who will search first was the question
many are asking and want Oga Frank, because ‘who fit’ ask armed
policemen for their warrant, not to talk of searching them before they
carry out their mission. Even Oga Frank will not advise anyone to do
otherwise, but to simply comply with their instructions if he/she
wants to live and have good tales to tell. No wonder, the Force called
on Nigerians never to resist arrest, even if it seems unjustified. It
also counselled Nigerians to never interfere in the arrest of a third
party… a simple but complex advice many thought. The manners and
behaviours of policemen had painted the complete pictures of how power
works, what power can do in terms of oppression and how ordinary
people suffers when they go against security men and their power.
Community policing is a strategy of policing which focuses on the
building of strong ties between the security agencies and members of
the community through better interactions with local agencies and
members of the public, by creating partnerships and strategies for
reducing crime and disorder in our country. Though, President
Muhammadu Buhari gave directives to police on implementation of
community policing, many still cannot trust after watching as many are
still suffering from police brutalities across the nation.
Speak fluent English and get shot – Nigerian police warning Nigerians
on how not to communicate with his men is probably no good headline if
you ask me many citizens. Better not speak grammar if you still need
your life intact. ‘You may politely request that the officer be
searched before searching you’ is nothing but a joke many believed.
Yes, often times police thinks this will helps to allay fears that
someone may be trying to plant incriminating items on you or implicate
you in any other way, but how well to handle such occasions may need
better education and proper enlightenment by the men in black. The
citizen even has the right to demand warrant of arrest where
necessary, but further said however, that not all invitation/arrest
requires a warrant. As a matter of fact, under our laws, the Police
have wide powers to arrest without warrant in many circumstances.
News had it that in the first quarter of 2018 alone, Police Public
Complaint Rapid Response Unit received 884 complaints, resolved 750,
but just only two officers were dismissed despite the number of
complaints leave many disenfranchised citizens no other option but to
accept their fate. There has to be tougher deterrents, and sanctions,
even jail terms to discourage policemen from brutality and corruption.
Many hold the belief that Nigerian policemen can never
disappoint…many police officers and men think they deserve the
supplementary wages (aka bribes) since they are not paid enough, and
no matter the level of increment of their wages and salary, they can
never stop taking bribes, many Nigeria had pictured this in their
minds. But it is rather high time the police search it men, and make
sure they are civil and men and women of integrity and character, so
also they should be able to communicate effectively.
*Ayobrown, Senior System Analyst, National Pilot Newspaper, writes via
[email protected]
