Maxwell James
8 February 2008
opinion
Recently, some national dailies reported the consolidated squander mania that bestrode the nation like a colossus during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Chief among them was the story of how over N50b Police Equipment Fund (PEF) went down the drain.
The high point of the embezzlement galore was a chilling revelation of how N202.5m was spent in dribs and drabs for dinner and owambe. The story went further to elaborate the way and manner in which some delirious meanderings of synaptic import conspired and shared the loot at the expense of the weak and ineffective Nigeria Police Force.
For instance, the report vividly exposed the corrupt tendencies of the self-acclaimed coordinator of the Presidential Committee on the Police Equipment Fund (PCPEF) as he went about dolling unsolicited gift running into billions of naira to individuals and institutions without following due process. As reported, despite the N50 billion that was collected by the fund from within and outside Nigeria, more than 50 percent of it went into frivolous ventures like sponsorship of Bishi boxing fight in Planet One Hotel, Lagos, wedding ceremonies and some private interests. Of all the huge donations made by federal and state agencies, churches, mosques, airlines, hotels, institutions and organisations including our impoverished 776 local governments, no impact was felt by the Nigeria Police Force.
While investigation into the alleged scam is ongoing by the relevant bodies, Nigerians cannot fold their arms and watch sheepishly as a few cabals manipulate the entire system for their selfish benefit. We must not continue to grumble and weep in deep groans and silent tears as we allow our future to be embezzled. Nigerians can now see the reason why the police force despite all the hoopla on its reform remains a forlorn dysfunctional place riddled with crass inefficiency and monumental decay.
The bandwagon phenomenon of police reform has taken its toll on the present administration as all the who is-who that contributed in no small measure in bringing the Police Force to its sorry state have once again been called upon to proffer 'lasting solution' to its myriad problems. As we all know, it is aimed at rehabilitating them after being kept in the coolers and trash can of irrelevance throughout the Obasanjo years.
The retired Inspector Generals including the one that slapped a diplomat during the enthronement of democratic rule in 1999 by their chameleonic vacillations and dispositions have evolved to embody the worst currents that represent the Nigeria Police Force today. If, for instance, President Yar'Adua is sincere about police reform, most of the characters that form the present committee should have no business whatsoever with police reform. Their tenure as IGs is there for all Nigerians to see.
How many of them promoted well-deserving officers during their tenures? Did they really put premium to professionalism and welfare in the force? A police constable goes home with less than N10, 000 in a month. Do we need a jumbo committee to know the prevailing economic situation in Nigeria and how to recruit the best hands in a serious profession like the police? Today, policemen are reduced to nothing in our society as grotesque incompetence rules the day. Our police chiefs are soaked with inert conscience - they give the ranks and files terrible assignment of bringing 'returns' after mounting illegal checkpoints on our dilapidated roads.
Nigeria remains a cesspool of corruption. Tafa Balogun was a case in point. The former IG stole something in the region of 104 million dollars and got ridiculous six-month jail term. When Tafa Balogun told the whole world that he will bounce back, many of us were not surprised, because once an IG, always an IG as record has shown. He may head the next Police Reform Committee in Nigeria!
Police Equipment Fund like Petroleum Equalisation Fund, Education Trust Fund, etc. is a mere rejoinder to Nigeria's consolidated recklessness. Over the years, we have come to terms with an institution that is a stinking morass where rottenness and decadence meet. In this profession, ethics is a victim of outright disregard. The security of life and property is a meaningless vestige. The leadership of the force kicks and claws to advertise their ill-gotten wealth to the world.
A simple case of murder in Nigeria is as complex as astronomy. Armed robbers usually have a field day unleashing mayhem on innocent citizens - causing sleepless nights for many Nigerians. Even in poverty, Nigerians are targets of either police stray bullets, brutality or gunmen's crave to seize innocent lives. High profile murders in Nigeria are still shrouded in mystery because our police lack basic equipment like communication gadgets to combat crime but we see individuals that run the force basking in unabashed opulence classic of Nigeria's manipulative statecraft.
President Yar'Adua through his campaign organisation, the SSS, NIA and EFCC allegedly benefited from the largesse. The probe must start now as Nigerians are eagerly waiting for the perpetrators to be brought to book. It is only in Nigeria that we seem to be ignorant of our problems. For instance, police usually get delivery of luxury cars that do not befit the nature of the police job. How on earth can a BMW car withstand the rugged nature of combating 'crime and criminality?' apology to Tafa Balogun? Somebody must answer this question. Or are we about to witness another episode of the PTDF saga where dubious accounts were opened to oil campaign machineries and private pockets? A full-scale probe is required now.
But my worry is: why would Nigerians keep mute in the face of this overwhelming fraud? Our penchant for enduring evil is sickening and disheartening. We must wake up against evil and their perpetrators. Today, I doff my hat to Kenya for standing against awesome evil despite massive repression by the state. The price of those sorry Nigerian collective failures to act when situations call for them is being paid today as we continue to lag behind in all aspects of our national life including football despite our self-acclaimed number one status in Africa.
My final submission is simple. Our leaders are setting bad precedents for the youth who are supposed to be the trustees of posterity. Among the youth class today, working hard is a sign of weakness. Today, we have lost all sense of productivity in the sense that commitment to duty does not pay. The situation is so bad that decent youth are seen as fools and souls that will never amount to anything among their peers.
I have severally been castigated by my contemporaries for indulging in a trade reserved for the disgruntled. To them, I can easily beg our geriatric debauchees for money since I am not fortunate to belong to Nigeria's hegemonic bloc and keep 'my voiceless voice' shut. I always say the hue and cry of men of conscience would eventually lead to positive revolution in Nigeria. The greatest threat to Nigeria's quest for greatness is our docile youth that have become prostrate to the machinations and manipulations of our corrupt leaders. This is sad!
James wrote from Kpansia-Epie, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Daily Trust. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
