Hard Tackle by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren

There is a common saying in Nigeria that “The police is your friend”. The essence of the statement is to create a healthy relationship between our brothers in black and the populace. But if we send out a questionnaire, I doubt if the respondents will put a smile on the faces of our friends whose duty is to give us the necessary cover when the odds are up against us. No man will like to have anything to do with what will make him walk on the wheels of fire! We are all aware that the responsibility of the police is to keep public order, prevent and solve crime. But looking at the way our society is drowned in the pool of corruption, and has embraced evil manipulations, no doubt both acts have incurred frustration on the future of our nation. In fact, we do not need a prophet to tell us that most of our policemen like some of our leaders are not better than gamblers worshipping at the temple of Mammon!

Have you visited Lasu/Isheri road recently? A movie maker that is daring as if there might not be tomorrow would make a fortune from capturing scenes from that blessed world. People from that part of Lagos always have the luxury of seeing such policemen who see nothing wrong in molestation and forceful extortion of money from road users and drivers. They are like mad despots who would do nothing other than bulldoze forces against their ambitions. Swimming in the pool of corruption, even a criminal or a law breaker is righteous once he meets their financial demands. Immediately they grab the cash that is the end of the story. The road is cleared, and the driver whether he is a man of questionable character disappears into the thin air! There can never be peace if we have such people in the Nigerian Police Force.

Where we have illegal road blocks at every thirty seconds drive, an arrangement by men who have terror sitting comfortably in the balls that sit in the sockets of their skulls, what we shall see is a trial of waste. I must confess, police presence on our road is important and I think every Nigerian with the right thinking will agree with me. But in a situation where they constitute nuisance to the public and make life a living hell by their unscrupulous manners is not palatable. If they concentrate on extorting money at check points and road blocks and fraudulently enrich themselves by these means, what time will they have to strategize and chase criminals? We have been bedeviled long enough by corruption, and this must not continue. I think the Nigerian police needs help. As a matter of fact, it is time we set up an organized body to check their excesses on our roads. This will go a long way to flush out the bad eggs frustrating the reformation. Fellow Nigerians we need reformation urgently!

I hear people say that crime rate have reduced considerably and that credit should be given to the Nigerian police. With all the breath in me, I disagree. The tranquility that took her esteemed seat in our homes is because criminals that would have made our lives a living hell have found a new lease of life in email scam, cyber crime and so forth. If a man could make so much money after sending fraudulent emails and messages from the comfort of his home, why will he need to risk his life running around town with a pistol?

I am scared! If we finally cub the menace of cyber crime, the criminals will return to the street, and you and I will be at the receiving end. We must call the police to order. Their activities on our roads show they are begging for orientation.

Nigeria has a great future and I am part of it. God bless Nigeria.

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