allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Why the Police Cannot Be Your Friend (2) (Page 1 of 1)

So before you make fun of me because of my encounter with the men in black, think twice, because you may just become the next victim. Nobody is too "big" to be harassed by the police. P-Square, the singing duo and the rave of the moment, have most likely had an unsavoury encounter with them. Their narration in the song "oga police" tells it all.

Oga Police O wetin be dis o?

You just dey vex me, dey stress me

Which kain yawa be dis O

Why you do me dis O, see wetin I dey miss..."

It goes on and on, but I guess the point is taken. The song talks about the unfair treatment young Nigerians go through at the hands of Police officers. These officers often feel envious when they see young people cruising around in their rides, or simply going out to have fun. In some instances, this kind of situation has led to fatal circumstances. Remember the story of Nnamdi, a young undergraduate of the University of Lagos who was brutally cut short in his prime many years ago? Ironically, the same policemen you see all over the place suddenly disappear as soon as a genuine crisis looms. In such instances, if you are naïve enough to call for help, you will most likely be informed that there is no patrol van available, or that they do not have funds to buy fuel to come and rescue you. They always have an excuse when it comes to confronting armed robbers. You only see these policemen hours after the robbery has taken place, asking ridiculous questions. This is exactly what happened after a group of journalists was attacked by men of the underworld while they were attending a three-day workshop which held in Ibadan not too long ago. Prior to this ugly incident, the participants were having a great time, but all that ended after the robbers struck. They succeeded in carting away millions of naira and other valuables. The police, as usual, came by after they had left. I hope our dear friends in the force will do something about it, or would they look the other way as usual?

I refuse to lose faith in them in spite of appearances. I daresay they act the way they do because somebody sneaked something mischievous into their statute books. Who knows, it may now have a section that encourages them to attack and intimidate innocent Nigerians who are not in the position to argue. Or better still, maybe there is that portion that instructs them to turn a blind eye as their 'brothers in arms' attack people like they did in Ibadan. If such things exist in there, they should expunge it all as soon as possible. I do not want to continue being jittery as soon as I encounter any member of the Nigerian Police Force. I leave you with the following to ponder upon.

Diffrences and similiarities between armed robbers and members of The Nigerian Police Force

SIMILARITIES

1. They both look tough during an operation.

2. If you are unfortunate enough to encounter either party at night, you are expected to part with your valuables

3. They both do not have consistent uniforms and this has led to fatal encounters due to mistaken identity.

4. They both have dishonest intentions when they flag you down.

5. They both rely on stimulants before they embark on any assignment.

DIFFERENCES

1. The men and women of the underworld are more tactical in their approach.

2. The men and women of the underworld are more forthright in their dealings, as they do not beat about the bush in trying to obtain your valuables.

3. The men and women of the underworld have a more genuine reason for being greedy, considering the fact that they do not have a fixed salary or any hope of being rehabilitated by the government.

FINAL OBSERVATION

Any time these two groups meet face to face, the men of the police force are more inclined to run for their dear lives.

web allafrica.com	Enter your search terms	Submit search form
OR subscribers use AllAfrica's premium search engine


Use our pull-down menus to find more stories

Today's Most Active Stories