The-need-for-the-igp-and-relevant-authorities-in-the-npf-to-call-to-order-its-men-and-officers-across-the-country-over-their-extortions-and-unprofessional-conduct-in-the-lockdown-towards-nigerians
September 7, 2020 | News
THE NEED FOR THE IGP AND RELEVANT AUTHORITIES IN THE NPF TO CALL TO ORDER ITS MEN AND OFFICERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY OVER THEIR EXTORTIONS AND UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT IN THE LOCKDOWN TOWARDS NIGERIANS
It is sad enough that the Coronavirus pandemic has made life, as we all know it, more difficult and unbearable for the Nigerian common masses, especially in the face of the lockdown across the country. But it is more sad and rather unfortunate that Officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), who are only expected to enforce the lockdown with civility, respect for the public and professional decorum, are the ones adding to the hardship already being experienced by Nigerians and making the lockdown more unbearable for all.
As of today, there are countless incidents and cases, some of which are reported/covered and the videos posted online; of Police brutalities, extortions, harassment and gross abuse of power by police officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) who are drafted to our roads to enforce the lockdown in different parts of the country.
The attached video is an example of such a case of Police unprofessional conduct, which occured in Umuchi of Aguata LGA in Anambra State. The video says it all - of how some of these police officers extort money from motorists. And in the case in question, the man only wanted to go to the bank and get money from the ATM so as to use same to get food for his family. But Two of his car tyres were shot by the Police Officer who was said to be demanding for 'roger' (bribe), before he would allow the man to pass. Out of fear of being shot by the Police Officer, the said man in the video had to lock himself in the car as he took the video. Meanwhile, all around them were people moving around in a market, making one wonder if there was a lockdown in the said area. And it also makes one wonder why should the Police Officers focus only on motorists in the name of enforcing the lockdown? It is simply because they are more interested using the lockdown to extort motorists.
There are also reported cases of Police Officers that were paid to drive/carry or excort buses/vehicles loaded with passengers from neighboring towns around Lagos and into the outskirts of Lagos on a daily basis. Videos of this are all over in the internet. One then begins to wonder why should Officers of the Nigerian Police Force be conducting themselves so unprofessionally in the bid to make money in this lockdown.
These and many more, are some of the cases that are too numerous to mention here, of the abuse of power by police officers and men of the NPF across the country.
This cannot continue. I am aware that the Nigerian Police, through the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Oyo, Osun, and Ondo State, Mr. Bashir Makama, has recently issued a stern warning to its officers in the South-west region who use the opportunity of the lockdown to extort, dehumanize, brutalize and engage in unprofessional conducts, to desist from such or face disciplinary actions. But there is need for more voice on this issue from the Inspector General of Police, to ALL the Officers and men of NPF across other parts of the country, and not only those in South-West.
That of the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State in particular, should be directed to sternly warn and call his men and Officers to order. The Officers in the attached video should be used as scapegoats in addressing this problem.
Majority of Nigerians are daily battling with hunger, hardship and suffering, all due to lockdown as a result of the Coronavirus situation. People are just trying to manage their lives and daily get by in these trying and difficult times. So, the Police Officers, should not add salt to the injury with their unprofessional conducts in this period. It is absolutely unfair. If anything, the Police should be seen to be helping Nigerians to get by these difficult times, and not to become the problem themselves. It simply does not make sense.
Zik Gbemre.
April 18, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
It is sad enough that the Coronavirus pandemic has made life, as we all know it, more difficult and unbearable for the Nigerian common masses, especially in the face of the lockdown across the country. But it is more sad and rather unfortunate that Officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), who are only expected to enforce the lockdown with civility, respect for the public and professional decorum, are the ones adding to the hardship already being experienced by Nigerians and making the lockdown more unbearable for all.
As of today, there are countless incidents and cases, some of which are reported/covered and the videos posted online; of Police brutalities, extortions, harassment and gross abuse of power by police officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) who are drafted to our roads to enforce the lockdown in different parts of the country.
The attached video is an example of such a case of Police unprofessional conduct, which occured in Umuchi of Aguata LGA in Anambra State. The video says it all - of how some of these police officers extort money from motorists. And in the case in question, the man only wanted to go to the bank and get money from the ATM so as to use same to get food for his family. But Two of his car tyres were shot by the Police Officer who was said to be demanding for 'roger' (bribe), before he would allow the man to pass. Out of fear of being shot by the Police Officer, the said man in the video had to lock himself in the car as he took the video. Meanwhile, all around them were people moving around in a market, making one wonder if there was a lockdown in the said area. And it also makes one wonder why should the Police Officers focus only on motorists in the name of enforcing the lockdown? It is simply because they are more interested using the lockdown to extort motorists.
There are also reported cases of Police Officers that were paid to drive/carry or excort buses/vehicles loaded with passengers from neighboring towns around Lagos and into the outskirts of Lagos on a daily basis. Videos of this are all over in the internet. One then begins to wonder why should Officers of the Nigerian Police Force be conducting themselves so unprofessionally in the bid to make money in this lockdown.
These and many more, are some of the cases that are too numerous to mention here, of the abuse of power by police officers and men of the NPF across the country.
This cannot continue. I am aware that the Nigerian Police, through the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Oyo, Osun, and Ondo State, Mr. Bashir Makama, has recently issued a stern warning to its officers in the South-west region who use the opportunity of the lockdown to extort, dehumanize, brutalize and engage in unprofessional conducts, to desist from such or face disciplinary actions. But there is need for more voice on this issue from the Inspector General of Police, to ALL the Officers and men of NPF across other parts of the country, and not only those in South-West.
That of the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State in particular, should be directed to sternly warn and call his men and Officers to order. The Officers in the attached video should be used as scapegoats in addressing this problem.
Majority of Nigerians are daily battling with hunger, hardship and suffering, all due to lockdown as a result of the Coronavirus situation. People are just trying to manage their lives and daily get by in these trying and difficult times. So, the Police Officers, should not add salt to the injury with their unprofessional conducts in this period. It is absolutely unfair. If anything, the Police should be seen to be helping Nigerians to get by these difficult times, and not to become the problem themselves. It simply does not make sense.
Zik Gbemre.
April 18, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes