By Ehi Ekhator
I have frequently been befuddled while attempting to address whether Nigerian police is a companion or a foe.
Section 214 of the 1999 constitution establish Nigerian Police Force. Sub (1) of the section states that “there shall be a Police Force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria police force, and subject to the provisions of this section no other Police Force shall be established for the l federation or any part thereof.
Provision of the powers of Nigeria Police Force was capsulated in section 23 of the police Act, so their roles as an fighting crime in Nigeria according the section 23 of the Act are:
1. Power to arrest an offender(s)
2. Power to prevent commission of an offence
3. Power to dictate crime
4. Power to investigate matters
5. Power to search etc
2. Power to prevent commission of an offence
3. Power to dictate crime
4. Power to investigate matters
5. Power to search etc
The power to arrest conferred on the police has been so important and cannot be deal without as long as Police Force is concerned.
Nigerian police lacks in the greater part of its essential obligations and numerous Nigerians have credited their capacity of fabricating stories against the regular Nigerian as a means to an end since they are underpaid.
The recent arrest of Joachim Iroko by Ogun State command indicated the decays in the system has eaten profound. It likewise uncovered how religion is put forward before human rights.
Joachim famously called Chinakwe in numerous areas of the media was arrested for professedly inscribing the name Buhari on a dog, which the police affirmed was to disparage his neighbor with the same surname, who later set up the dissension.
Joachim was kept in custody for three days and was later charged to court and the police guaranteed that he attempted to stir up a feud in the community after he allegedly paraded his Buhari dog round the Hausa section of the market. They likewise endeavored to remove the President; Muhammadu Buhari from the arraignment since Nigerians went gaga blaming the President for disregarding the accused right.
Joe had portrayed his experience to the media after he regained freedom from his abductors. He blamed the police for fabricating the stories, including that he had four dogs. One he named Obama, the second he named, Joe (his name) the third he named Nelson Mandela while the fourth he named Buhari. Nelson Mandela according to his narration, died awhile ago leaving with him, three dogs. He mourned that he just named his dogs after his heroes and not to derision them.
Knowing how the issue is picking up so much condemnation, the Nigerian police immediately discharged an official statement in an attempt to do some damage control. While trying to befuddle the masses, they gave the name of the complainant as “Alhaji Halilu Umar”, a name very surprisingly different from Buhari which they had asserted was the reason they arrested and charged Joe to court.
One can’t however think about how Umar or Halibu takes after Buhari or if the police had completely overlooked the earlier stories they provided to the general population.
As indicated by the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, “One Alhaji Halibu Umar of Ketere area went to Sango Police Station to report his neighbour whom he claimed provoked him by inscribing his father’s name “Buhari” on both sides of his dog knowing fully well that it is his father’s name.
“The suspect was invited and he did not deny the allegation. All efforts to resolve the matter amicably between the two parties proved futile and it was about to degenerate to a serious crisis within the area hence, the Command took a proactive step by charging the case to court in order to avert unnecessary blood shedding.
“The command wants to make it clear to members of the public that the case has nothing to do with the president as some media are painting it to be. It is a clear case between the complainant and the suspect whose action was seen as one that is likely to cause breach of peace.”
In the new communique discharged by the police, they forgot to mention the following:
- That the accused paraded his dog in the Hausa sectionof the Kekere market
- That the name of the complainant is Alhaji Halilu Umar Buhari instead Alhaji Halilu Umar as said.
- That the PPRO in Ogun already said “the average Northerner will feel bad about it”. Did the PPRO contemplate the complainant’s father here?
Barrister Inibehe Effiong, a Nigerian lawyer who has been at the forefront of this issue stated is deduction from the latest police press release as follows:
- That the police did not consider the incident originally as a crime, hence the need to amicably resolve the matter between two disagreeing neighbours.
- That Iroko only became an accused because his neighbour, reported the case first and rejected attempts to achieve peace.
- That where two people disagree, the first to report, irrespective of whether he’s right or wrong, automatically is on the side of the law while the other party becomes the accused
- That if the PPRO’s statement is to be followed logically then both parties in this case ought to be charged to court as each of their actions – i.e. resisting peace amount to action likely to cause a breach of the peace.
There are numerous Nigerians who have frightful news around a body that should secure them. This makes individuals wonder if Nigerian police is truly your friend or foe knowing completely well that you can be arrested for wearing a gold necklace, costly watch, Afro hair, tattoo, or like the journalist who got arrested in Lagos, for clubbing which implies he has cash to spend.
It appears the new Acting Inspector General of Police is doing everything to inspire his boss so as to get affirmation. The IGP has stayed quiet following the trial of this innocent Nigerian as both local and foreign media have reported it.
One can’t however think about whether this is a period of vote based system or oppression, a time of Muslim control or mainstream nation or a way to Islamization or an endeavor to noiseless the Christians who are the majority religion in the country.
Nigerian police ought to be so occupied as crime has increased in the nation due to increase in unemployment and absence of occupations for youthful graduates.
Nigerian police ought to have been posing the question “who slaughtered Joe’s dog while he was in confinement?”
Nigerian police ought to have been occupied with attempting to restructure the force, conceivably expelling their front and back pockets if that would help in decreasing subornment on checkpoints.
Nigerian police ought to have been occupied grilling the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Yakubu Dogara who has been accused for cushioning the budget with billions.
In any case, they are investing their energy charging an innocent man to court while Fulani Herdsmen cause ruin in various communities, and the individuals who killed the Abuja evangelist, the individuals who guillotined the poor lady in Kaduna, and the individuals who killed the ministers and demolished the places of worship for sermonizing on Friday are footloose.
Will Nigerian police arrest and charge anyone in Nigeria who gives his or her dog a human name?
