Date Published: 08/07/09
MR. OGBONNAYA ONOVO, THE NEW IGP, AND WHAT’S AT STATE: A NOTE (CONCLUDED)
By Temple Chima Ubochi
The test for whether one is living in a police state is that those who are charged with enforcing the law are allowed to break the laws with impunity. (Jon Roland)
An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity. (Martin Luther King, Jr)
There is no greater calling than to serve your fellow men. There is no greater contribution than to help the weak. There is no greater satisfaction than to have done it well. (Walter Reuther)
Policemen so cherish their status as keepers of the peace and protectors of the public that they have occasionally been known to beat to death those citizens or groups who question that status. (David Mamet)
The police cannot protect the citizen at this stage of our development, and they cannot even protect themselves in many cases. It is up to the private citizen to protect himself and his family, and this is not acceptable, but mandatory. (Jeff Cooper)
Sir; we learnt from you that over 100,000 policemen are attached to individuals who are not entitled to them, and, consequently, they are to be withdrawn within seven days from August 6, 2009.You gave the seven-day ultimatum to such policemen to return to their duty posts or risk arrest. You added that such policemen would be sent to the training schools, as they had lost touch with police duties, so as to prepare them for the 2011 elections. You also directed people having police attachment illegally to make alternative arrangements within the seven days and release such policemen to report to their commanders in readiness for training. We praise you for that. This shows how serious you are to get one or two things changed in the police. Nonetheless, it has been revealed that some top officers of the Nigeria Police and their men make about N3 billion monthly from the illegal posting of policemen to guard private individuals. Consequent upon that such postings were well known in the police and coupled with the fact that the racket was a thriving one, it would be impossible for the illegal practice to cease in the force, but, would continue furtively. Sir, those gaining from this would oppose and try to thwart your directive, you need to set an “example” with somebody to show others that “play time is over”.
Sir, this is to tell you how the racket works: Nigerians recently condemned the detention and torture of police inspector Nicholas Ossai, in charge of the security personnel attached to Chief Chris Uba. Uba, the self-styled PDP godfather in Anambra state was alleged to have detained, manhandled and summarily tried the police inspector, Mr. Nicholas Ossai, in the front of his subordinates, for allegedly allowing a police constable in his house to travel for a burial without his (Uba’s) approval. It was alleged that after the in-house trial, the police officer was then handed over to the state police commissioner who ordered his detention for 16 days before being released on the orders of the then Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro. It was gathered that when the police officer was going through the inhuman ordeal, his aged father, Augustine Ossai, simply died of shock on hearing the news.
Sir, my question is: Why should Chris Uba have a 22-man police squad attached to him for security until the number was reduced recently to 12 following the federal government’s policy on the category of public officers entitled to police protection? Chris Uba is in no way a public figure and deserves not even a policeman for his security. He has stolen the people’s wealth enough and can afford all the private security in this world. Why post such a large number of policemen to a private citizen when ordinary Nigerians are being slaughtered on the highways by armed robbers who operate unmolested? Why would Chris Uba indulge in the detention and torture of a police officer and gets away with it? Why would the state police commissioner take orders from Chris Uba, by ordering the detention of Mr. Nicholas Ossai for 16 days? Sir, you need to investigate this matter, Chris Uba has no right to slap and detain a police inspector, and he is not entitled to any police escort.
Sir, I know that you’re aware of the ills plaguing your force, but, I would reiterate some of them here, just incase some of them escaped your memory. I’m going to point out only few atrocities or wrongs perpetrated by your officers and men, I would not go into details due to lack of space and time, you can access all these reports from the respective newspaper houses to read them in full. But, know that these reports are just a tip of a colossal ice berg as the atrocities not reported are thousand and one folds more than the ones reported, and every day, even as you are reading this, thousands of atrocities are being perpetrated by your officers and men all over Nigeria. Please rein them in. The police is supposed to be a friend and not an enemy of the people. I would advice you to institute a committee to look into the already reported atrocities and the ones your officers and men would perpetrate in future, in order to redress any injustice wherever it occurred. That would be your first step in making the police a people-friendly one and by that earning the much needed people’s trust for the institution.
Police sergeant killed by colleague: A trigger happy policeman shot and killed one of his colleagues at the Command Headquarters, Lagos, during an argument. The suspect had engaged in heated argument with the deceased and allegedly threatened to shoot him and that he did! The incident came barely 48 hours after a similar one, in which a 23-year-old man was shot dead at Mushin, allegedly by some policemen patrolling the area. (ThisDay Monday, July 27, 2009)
Armed Robbers Snatched a Bullion Van in Uyo: The helpless position of the police in the face of escalating crimes became glaring with the recent snatching of a bullion van in Uyo! The police details and escorts of the bullion van "all ran away, leaving the robbers to have a field day, breaking open the van, and making away with the money inside." When the robbers opened fire in the crowded area which is usually very busy at that time of the day, civilians and even the police scampered to safety. (Daily Independent Friday, July 24, 2009)
Our Boys Are Lily-Livered: The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 9, Mr. Olusegun Efuntayo, said that his boys were “lily-livered”. He said even a loud fart would make them to scamper for safety. He said the policemen’s response to the loud blast from vehicles’ exhausts was worse. Mr. Efuntayo said his men would not even wait to see before speaking with their legs. The only thing that does not frighten them is the sight of N20 notes. They may be lily-livered when it comes to defending poor Nigerians from criminals, but Nigerian policemen have lion courage when it comes to commercial vehicle drivers and other common criminals. It is the big Ogas in the force that give cover to armed robbers or even ‘rent’ out guns to them. (Tribune Friday, July 24, 2009) Sir, the police is supposed to be the last bulwark against the armed robbers, but, they are the first to run away. Do something about it. Give your personnel all it takes for them to stand the armed robbers.
Police refused to assist us – Accident victims: Once at Mile 2, on the Oshodi axis of the Apapa-Oshodi expressway, was the scene of an accident that left three children and a bus conductor seriously injured. The victims were left unattended to for some time before they were later taken to Ikeja General Hospital. Save for the sympathisers at the scene, more casualties would have been recorded as some police men at the scene allegedly refused to render any assistance on grounds that the accident scene was outside their jurisdiction. (Vanguard Friday, July 24, 2009) Sir, the police is supposed to be helpful to accident victims anywhere, anytime and any place in Nigeria, whether on duty or not. The police is supposed to secure an accident scene, evacuate victims to the hospital, control the flow of traffic within the accident scene to avoid other vehicles running into the victims or the accident vehicles, then afterward, the police would remove the accident vehicles from the scene to avoid obstruction of traffic and would then clean the accident scene to prevent scattered debris and metal scraps (from the accident vehicles) from deflating the tires of other vehicles. I don’t know how your men were trained in this regard, but, this is the basic standard all over the world.
Benue: Two policemen dismissed for stealing ‘Okada’: Two of your men serving under the Benue State Command were recently dismissed for allegedly stealing a motorbike belonging to a commercial motorcyclist. A Car-Go motorcycle valued at N120, 000 belonging to Sarwuan Solomon, seized on the grounds that he flouted the orders restraining commercial motorbike operators from carrying out their business beyond 8pm, was taken to Otukpo by the two policemen, where it was sold to one Nonso Ujiogu for a paltry sum of N36, 000. (VanguardSaturday, July 18, 2009) Sir there are many more thieves-in-uniform in your force, in concert with your zonal commanders and state commissioners, you need to identify and weed them out.
Policeman kills colleague over torchlight: A Police constable, Usman Musa, was killed by his colleague during a scuffle over torchlight. (Vanguard Saturday, July 18, 2009) Sir, that’s why we are saying that there are many deranged people in the police.
Police accused of backing drug peddlers: The unprecedented flourishing of the business of drug trafficking and peddling in Nigeria has been blamed on the undue cooperation and support allegedly given to drug barons by some unscrupulous police officers in the country. (ThisDay Monday, June 29, 2009)
Commission begins fresh screening of police officers: over 10,000 dismissed officers were still paid salaries. Apart from the dismissed officers, some families of late policemen who had been compensated were still collecting salaries illegally. (Guardian Thursday, June 25, 2009)
Police aiding Abuja fake currency kingpin suspect’: Twenty-four hours after arresting Onyeka Okonkwo and his gang for faking foreign and local currencies, the Police is now at the receiving end. They had hardly savoured the victory when Onyeka raised his voice against some officers at the headquarters of the FCT Command. Onyeka is accusing the officers of aiding and abetting a chief, he says, is the “kingpin and trainer” of members of the syndicate. (SUN Monday, June 22, 2009)
Police killed First Bank manager, Awosika, says court: A coroner at Tapa Magistrate's Court in Lagos has concluded that the police are responsible for the killing of First Bank Manager, Modebayo Awosika. Magistrate Philips Ojo held that Awosika was shot by Inspector Benjamin Oyigie, and dismissed as baseless police argument that Oyigie shot him in self-defence, having suspected him to be a robber. (Daily Independent Thursday, June 18, 2009)
Police admit killing First Bank manager: The Nigerian Police Force for the first time admitted that the late Awosika was killed by a policeman, whose whereabouts is still unknown. (Daily Independent Saturday, April 18, 2009) Sir, the police is not supposed to be killing those it should be protecting!
Beggars in black: Sir, I wish to draw your attention to the greatest embarrassment currently playing out in Lagos and probably all over our nation. It has to do with the current spate of corruption going on, on our roads and being carried out by our policemen. Contrary to earlier directives from the (former) Inspector General of Police, the number of checkpoints within Lagos has increased alarmingly and these checkpoints have become money-making points for our policemen who openly solicit for money from trucks, commercial buses and okada riders and other road users daily without batting an eye. (Guardian Wednesday, June 17, 2009)
Robbery: Conflicting reports trail DSP's probe: Police gave a rather discordant account on the report that a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) is involved in armed robbery. The man is being investigated for unauthorised movement of ammunition from one command to another. The case involving the DSP was discovered when the Ogun State Command found out that ammunition issued to him when he commanded the state's anti-robbery squad was not returned to the armoury. (Daily Independent Thursday, June 11, 2009)
Proposed psychiatric test for police recruits: To address a myriad of problems confronting the Nigeria Police and undermining its efficiency, the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Lame has suggested a compulsory psychiatric test for all aspiring police recruits. This suggestion is to be viewed against the commonly held view that the police is a defective organisation. Every Nigerian no doubt will like to see a police force with an entirely different orientation. These ills, according to him, include official corruption, leaking of official secrets, 'accidental' discharge, nepotism, torture, ethnicism and general indiscipline. (Guardian Sunday, June 7, 2009)
Why I used police uniform to escort smugglers - Dismissed policeman: Timothy Olayinka (43) is an ex-service man. He joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1990, but unfortunately after putting six years in the service, he was dismissed by the police authorities. But instead of submitting his uniform to the Police as required by police law, he decided to keep it for only-God-knows-why. When the centre cannot hold again, he decided to put on the uniform again, but his time around, for illegal activities. (Tribune Thursday, June 4, 2009) Sir, there are many more Timothy Olayinka out there.
Killer Cop Policeman kills neighbour over ogogoro (Nigerian gin): What was left of the drink was less than five centilitres, so said eye witnesses. But it was strong enough for a police constable to kill his co-tenant in his greed to drink the dreg of the ogogoro (local gin) alone. It All happened on Saturday May 16, 2009 at No. 54 Aka-Etinan Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. (Sun Tuesday, May 26, 2009)
Okada rider killed by policeman over N500 bribe: A policeman attached to Emene Police Station, Enugu, provoked public outcry recently following his shooting of a commercial motorcycle operator, Okorie Aneke. Aneke was riding his motorcycle when he was stopped at a police checkpoint on the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway, Emene. One of the policemen had demanded N500 from him for not using a crash helmet, but the rider had replied that he had no money as he had just left his house to start the day's work. He, however, offered the policemen N90 which was rejected. An argument ensued between Aneke and the policemen and then, one of the security operatives, an inspector, shot at him. The bullet entered through his back and emerged from the chest leaving the victim gasping for breath as he was soaked with his own blood. To cover up, the killer policeman reportedly hung his rifle on the dying man's neck to give the impression that he was an armed robber. But his plot was frustrated by an eyewitness, Mr. Vincent Obetta, a legal practitioner, who was approaching the checkpoint in his car when the incident happened. (Punch Monday, May 25, 2009)
Disquiet over missing corpse of 15-year-old boy allegedly killed by Enugu policeman: The Egbo family of Attakwu, Enugu is in serious pains. The sudden death of their son, 15-year-old Emmanuel, who was allegedly shot by a policeman in front of his cousin's house in Attakwu, Enugu on September 25, 2008 is to them a sad reminder of how short and brutish life could be. However, it is the disclosure that his remains has been disposed off that has compounded their grief. The late Emmanuel, an apprentice carpenter, was said to be playing with other children in front of the house around 6 pm when a mobile policeman allegedly shot him dead. The killer cop was said to have been part of a contingent of riot policemen deployed to Attakwu and neighbouring communities to restore peace as a result of a lingering communal crisis in the area. After the dastardly act, he allegedly ran to his colleagues and told them that he had killed an armed robber. He and his colleagues later came to pick the corpse in a vehicle and conveyed him to Agbani Divisional Police Headquarters, Agbani, Enugu. (Punch Saturday, May 23, 2009)
Dead policemen’s relatives storm Abuja -As EFCC holds on to N700m insurance fund: Over N700 million police accident insurance money meant to be paid to the next of kin of about 750 police officers, who were felled by robbers’ bullets or died in auto accidents in the course of their duties, is allegedly missing. The families of the deceased officers had been thronging the Force Headquarters to find out when their breadwinners’ entitlements would be paid but all to no avail. The officers affected died between 2002 and 2004 and their families were supposed to have collected the money long ago, but the money was alleged to be missing. The money was part of a N16 billion recovered from former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2004.Following the failure to recover the N700 million and pay the next of kin of the deceased officers, the (former) Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, officially wrote to the Presidency intimating it of the predicament of those left behind by the dead police officers. But, four months after the Presidency directed the EFCC to release the money for the payment of the accident insurance scheme of the officers, the letter is yet to be traced to effect the release of the money. (Tribune May 22, 2009)
Policeman arrested with 17 cartons of ammunition meant for militants: A police sergeant was arrested trying to supply ammunition to militants in the Niger Delta. The naval component of the Joint Task Force, otherwise known as Operation Restore Hope, acting on a tip off, had stormed Makaiva Jetty, in Warri South Local Government Area and apprehended the policemen, whose name was given as Dickson Abere. It was gathered that 17 cartons of ammunition were recovered from the Sergeant said to be serving with MoPol 31, Asaba, the Delta State capital. (Punch Thursday, May 21, 2009)
Bayelsa police boss warns officers against serving as baby-sitter, errand boys: New Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State, Mr. Onuoha Udeka, has warned that any member of the police rank and file who allowed herself or himself to be used as baby-sitter or errand boy by politicians would be severely punished. He warned that politicians and government officials in the state who are not entitled to move with police orderlies would have them stripped in line with the recent Presidential directive. (Guardian Thursday, May 14, 2009)
Police sergeant, six others, nabbed for pipeline theft: A Shell Spy Police Sergeant, Sylvanus Ebhooman, and six others have been arrested by the Joint Task Force, Operation Restore Hope, for alleged pipeline theft. The suspects allegedly invaded Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC)’s Ughelli Production Centre in Delta State and made away with some 4-inch pipes belonging to the company. (Tribune Tuesday, May 12, 2009)
Police woman, colleagues beat up lawyer • NBA petitions IG: Barrister Kamal Adekilekun, a Yenagoa-based lawyer was driving towards Azikoro road when because of the distraction caused by an argument between a traffic policewoman with another woman, who blocked the road with her car, made him hit a commercial motorcyclist. Immediately, an argument ensued between Adekilekun and the policewoman and as tempers rose, the police woman slapped the lawyer. As this was going on, a group of seven policemen on patrol met the scene and upon hearing from the policewoman descended on Adekilekun beating him and accusing him of assaulting a female officer. (SUN Tuesday, May 12, 2009)
Stampede as teargas grenade reportedly dropped from a police escort van, explodes at Mile Two area of Lagos: There was a bomb scare recently at Mile Two area of Lagos, following an explosion from a tear gas grenade, which reportedly dropped from a police escort van. The hand-held tear gas grenade was said to have dropped off a fast moving van, without the knowledge of the policemen. Another vehicle directly behind the police van was said to have run over the combustive substance, which immediately released an explosive sound that rocked the entire area. Several persons were reportedly injured in the ensuing stampede caused by the explosion, as they ran in different directions for safety. Motorists plying the route as well as commercial drivers abandoned their vehicles and fled. Traders and hawkers were not left out, as they also abandoned their wares. (Vanguard Friday, May 8, 2009) Sir, your men should endeavour to keep their equipment and gadgets safe and not to put the public at risk through their carelessness.
Strike: Police beat doctor with gun butts: The strike embarked upon by the Lagos State branch of the Medical Guild turned violent recently when the secretary of the guild, Dr. Olayiwola Agara, was beaten to a state of coma by policemen. The secretary had gone to the general hospital to monitor the strike, when he was accosted by policemen and beaten with gun butts. (Punch Wednesday, May 6, 2009)
Endless siege ...After the murder of monarch, wife, police reduce Abia villages to ashes… Another dies, many in hospital. Blind old man dragged out before burning his house: A cloud of gloom hangs over Abala autonomous community in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State. An ocean of anguish, sorrow and tears submerged the landscape. The people are gnashing their teeth, counting their losses in the catastrophe that befell their homestead on January 21, 2009. And it is doubtful if the tragedy and its effects could ever be washed away from their memory. That fateful day, a Joint Task Force (JTF) comprising soldiers and mobile policemen overran the community, destroying about 200 residential buildings and shops. Public facilities such as the Orie Abala market and the postal agency with all the letters there were not spared even as the JTF men allegedly embarked on a looting spree. The items they were accused of stealing include cash, electrical gadgets, motorcycles and generating sets. (Sun Saturday, May 2, 2009)
Baby Kausarat and Police brutality: The gruesome and gratuitous killing of a three-year-old girl, Kausarat Saliu, by the police recently can be described as yet another act of brutality that has exposed the Nigeria Police as an organisation that places little value on human life. Little Kausarat was returning from an outing with her parents when a shot fired by some policemen at a roadblock smashed through the windscreen of their car, peeled some skin off the father's hand before piercing through her head. In an apparent bid to cover up their act, the policemen quickly hauled Kausarat's father, Muritala Saliu, into the cell after a round of torture and beating. The evil men in uniform also moved quickly to turn the case on its head. They accused Kausarat's father of daring to confront a policeman. (Punch Thursday, April 16, 2009)
Sir, to end this very long letter, I leave you with this from Pastor Gass:
I have found David... a man after My own heart...Acts 13:22 NKJV
David knew Samuel was coming to his house looking for a king, and that he wasn't invited. That hurt. So how did he respond? By asking somebody to put his name in the hat? No! '… Promotion comes… from… God… '(Psalm 75:6-7). David knew that nobody could keep God from blessing him. Listen: 'Then Samuel… anointed him in the midst of his brothers… '(1 Samuel 16:13 NKJV) If you remain faithful, God will lift you up in the midst of those who overlooked and put you down.
Notice, when the Spirit of God left King Saul he was tormented by evil spirits and ended up consulting a witch. No wonder David prayed, '… Take not thy holy spirit from me'(Psalm 51:11). If God has called you to do the job He will give you all the grace needed.
But be prepared for trouble! Like Joseph's brothers, they'll say of you, '… Let us… kill him and cast him into some pit… [and] see what will become of his dreams'(Genesis 37:20 NKJV). Why would those who are supposed to love you say such a thing? Because they don't really know who you are, or recognise your God-given dream. Expect rejection in the early stages, especially when there's no evidence to validate your God-given dream. When David demonstrated the faith to take on Goliath, his oldest brother Eliab called him arrogant and resented him (1 Samuel 17:28)! Why did God put such stories in the Bible? 'These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us… '(1 Corinthians 10:11 NIV)
I wish you a very successful tenure as the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force. May you be the best IGP so far in 2012!
THE THANXS IS ALL YOURS
Continued from Part 2
Temple Chima Ubochi
ubochit@yahoo.com
Bonn, Germany
