DIGNITY OF THE POLICE

     

DIGNITY OF THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE.

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All over the world, Policemen are saddled with the sole responsibility of protecting human lives and properties. 

An average Police Officer in the developed world is well trained, equipped and catered for.

History can help recall the 9/11 attack in America, and you’ll be stunned to know that majority of those who died in the building are not actually those who were in the building. Ex-military men, fire service men, policemen were those who sacrificed their lives to save others.

They did that realizing it was their turn to show that they were AMERICANS, they felt the need to display their patriotism and they were ready to sacrifice their lives for America.

Honesty, I'll be naive and unfair to compare the Nigeria Police Officers to counterparts in the First World Countries.

It's crystal clear that the Nigeria Police Force is not well structured; the Officers are poorly trained, less equipped and ill-catered for. 
You don’t expect an average Police Officer in Nigeria to deliver the same value of responsibility an American Police Officer will be ready to deliver... As they both joined the Force with different intentions.

Critical study reveals—an American will decide to join the Police Force with a total dedication, ready to pay the ultimate price for his country but a Nigerian would join the Police Force to ensure survival, he wants to meet his needs, provide for his immediate Family and not ready to lose his life for any reason, which is understandable.

The Nigerian Government is solely responsible for the shambolic display we see our policemen freely exhibiting today. 

Note worthy, the average police officer is no better than an armed slave, just like the case of two men struggling for survival — one in his nuisance value chose to be an armed robber, the other chose the path of dignity by joining the police force.

Police officers spend their hours in unbearable physical and psychological working environments cum a welfare package that is practically non-existent.

Sacrifices are ignored while their failures are magnified. No street monuments to officers who died in the line of duty... Zero recognition/national awards to the policemen who eradicated violent robber gangs. The average policeman is paid in “gun power”, and not in welfare.

I can holistically affirm that the government treats the police shabbily, and the people treat them with hostility. The Nigeria Police now sees themselves as a tree standing aloof in the desert. Their efficiency seems to be of no use to the society, tagging them as the devil’s advocate.

With prevailing statistics, the present serving Police Officers in Nigeria is about 371,800 meanwhile the Federal Government plans to increase the number to 650,000 this year. It’s quite unbelievable and shocking to reveal that a Police Recruit earns a token of #9,019.42 per month, a Police Constable earns #43,293.80 and a Sergeant earns 48,540.88 while a Commissioner of Police earns a whopping 302,970.47 per month.

Recently, I was at a Police barracks somewhere in Lagos, it’s very disheartening to reveal what I saw…here is a barrack that looks so devastating, the houses are unkempt, even the kids playing around tells you better the standard of living is below per.

Daily encounters with the Nigeria Police individuals is what prompted me to look beyond a parochial view on the Nigeria Police Force— which I discovered that the average Policeman is not being paid well and regularly, not insured, he is hungry, betrayed and eventually lives the opposite of his dream, he can even get killed at any point in time on duty, a man who is completely sad, depressed and confused on daily basis. Then our government will do well by handing him a Gun without adequate training saddled with the responsibility of protecting us.

It is worrisome to disclose that as at November, 23 2016, about 128 policemen lost their lives within the space of three months across the states of the federation. Further disturbing report also revealed the wanton destruction of Police infrastructure and public assets. The recent cases in Dankamoji village in Maradu LGA of Zamfara state, Abagana in Anambra state and in Okrika waterways in Rivers state where police personnel were killed, arms carted away, structures and equipment destroyed are cases in point. Many of them have lost their lives to terrorist attacks, armed robbery faceoff and even ethnicity tussle.

As much as I've tried to understand the general deception on the Nigeria Police who does not actually provide any proper policing service to the Nigerian masses, the believe is that their only monopoly is the investigation and prosecution of violent and proprietary crimes.

It is also disheartening to note that the Police Sector is now a public service, the Police, other than being the visible presence of government intimidation, have also been relegated to the role of security guards, drivers, personal assistant to high rank government officials and other high profile personnel in the society. It is a glaring fact that the average Nigeria policeman is endangered specie.

However, I have come to a conclusion that the transformation of the Nigeria Police Officer starts with the civilians, first by helping them realize their purpose of existence and giving them a sense of belonging in the society. Offering a TIP to policemen without them demanding is no crime, one can deem it fit to put a pack of bottle water in the trunk and give to them at duty post, the community can even intentionally celebrate the effort of the Police Officers in their area just to show a sign of appreciation, remember this officers took it upon themselves to choose a pseudo kind of dignity to join the Force. 

It’s high time we started to make the average policemen see their importance and give them some level of dignity the government does not offer.