The Looming Threats, Entrusting Firearms to the Nigerian Police Officers.
Yesterday, 17 December 2024, news reported that Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has ordered an immediate stop to arbitrary arrests, detentions, and human rights abuses. Also, arbitrary phone checks must end. I smiled, recognizing this isn’t the first time such directives have been issued. Yet, Police Commands, Areas, and Divisions, along with monitoring units, continue to disregard them. These actions are unlawful, unpatriotic, and erode democratic principles, raising the question of accountability.
In a sane society, serving police officers’ children would receive scholarships, enabling them to access quality education easily. However, this is unattainable when the police themselves are mistreated. The police profession has lost its appeal, as people join the Nigeria Police for selfish reasons, seeking to exploit their position for personal gain rather than serving the public and honoring their oath.
The Nigeria Police serve as the government’s primary agents for maintaining civility and order. Despite this, they have consistently failed to fulfill their duties effectively due to issues like inadequate funding, bríberÿ, pèrversiøn of justice, unprøfessiønalism, and political interference. These conditions have led to law enforcement cørruptiøn, inefficiencÿ, and poør performance among junior and senior officers. The Nigeria Police, as part of civil society, face significant challenges, including inadequate funding for development, training, and logistics. Pítifúllÿ, every Nigerian Policemen are responsible for the cost of sewing their uniforms and other police skits, how much more their accommodation. What does the Police authority and the Nigeria Police Service Commission expect when police officers now lodge in hotels for comfort, in order to work in areas with hársh conditions; how can this be true?
I remain hopeful about the Nigeria Police’s future and its democratic potential, but the federal government must do its part, prioritizing police welfare, given the glaring thrèats. Despite strict measures, police miscōndüct remains a problem among Nigeria Police Officers.
“Of what essence, is the hiring and firing of erring officers when its commission can improve their lives, preventing these lingering issues among the Nigeria Police Force?” Of what essence, is the promotion and demotion of police personnel’s when their welfare aren’t prioritized, enabling them to live a befitting life during and after service, which compares them to these unlawful behaviours?”
Conclusively, while I commend the Nigeria Police Force, under the previous Inspector Generals of Police and the current Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, as well as various State Commissioners of Police, for consistently approving funds for police officers who have been victims of different situations or for families of police officers who died in active service, more efforts need to be put in place to ensure the wellbeing of every serving police officer, regardless of rank; there’s a lot to be done to strengthen democracy.
To make the police profession more attractive and respectable, the Federal Government of Nigeria should provide junior and senior police officers with good salary schemes, prioritizing their basic needs. This would also attract well-enumerated graduates to join the Nigeria Police Force. Traditionally, the Nigeria Police Force has been the last hope for job seekers. However, we must recognize that policing should be a highly respected profession in our nation. It is crucial that the Federal Government of Nigeria understands that the welfare and improvement of the police are vital in shaping their attitudes and conduct, which ultimately benefits society at large.
Comrade (Amb.) Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen
National Coordinator,
Initiative For Social Rights Concerns
And Advancement(ISRCA)
AKA “No Justice, No Peace”
