NIGERIA MASTERWEB DAILY NEWS

*Extra Judicial killings: A Risk Society & The Nigerian Police.

By Frank Ediagbonya

The video clips from Aljazeera TV now showing on YouTube ( http:www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlpZr81RucY ) has exposed how unarmed civilians were shot in the head and heart at pointblank by men of the Nigerian Police. These video clips has generated a lot of anger and shock from Nigerians and non Nigerians alike. The question of whether the poor and less privileged Nigerians are safe in the hand of security operatives especially the Nigerian Police Force is being critically examined by concerned Nigerians and Amnesty International.

Is Nigeria a risk society as being portrayed by that shocking video footage?

There are different types of risk; security risk, environmental risk, economic risk and social risk. Modern society have put in place institutions to deal with various risks. For example, the Central Bank or other relevant agencies has the responsibilities to avoid a country's economic risk while institution like the Nigerian Police Force or it counterparts across the globe is entrenched with the responsibilities to deal with social and security risks as well as protect lives and properties of citizenry. On many occasions the Nigerian Police have been caught in a conflicting duties of a peace makers, law enforcers and executioners.

The duties of the Nigerian Police Force which includes protection of lives and properties of Nigerians irrespective of status or religious affiliation has been seriously compromised after watching those clips of some men in noble uniforms of the NPF committing horrendous murder all in the name of maintaining law and order. The role of the Nigerian Police as a social institution established to maintain social order, enforce laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria without fear or favour is now a subject of moral dilemma. The brutal murder of alleged religious activists of Boko Haram as seen on YouTube suggested that the poor and less privileged Nigerians are undervalued by those in authority or those who are bent on tarnishing the image of the Nigerian Police Force so to say.

It is a known fact that the image of the Nigerian Police Force amongst the Nigerian masses is tinted with notions, speculations and stigma of all unrighteousness. Not all members of the Nigerian Police are barbaric or 700 years behind modern civilization like the bad eggs in the Force who are bent to drag the image of the Force to the gutters. Nuhu Ribadu and his likes are good examples of trained and polished officers of the Nigerian Police Force.

Agreed that the Nigerian Police Force have mountain of challenges before them, for example fighting crime in a hi-tech society like Nigeria in the wake of mobile phone and Internet communication technology in all the nooks and crannies of the country; which has boosted violent crime and also taken the police by surprise. They were not prepared for this surprises when the erstwhile President Obasanjo introduced these technology hence, they were being filmed in the act of untold murder, sent to a global TV network while the Police tried to cover up their tracks with their usual tales by the moonlight or cock and bull stories.

I am not impressed that a fellow human being were killed like a chicken at the pleasure of some blood tasty men parading themselves in Police Uniforms who ought to have been detained in psychiatric hospitals. This clips has socially constructed Nigeria as a risk society not knowing who to trust. This is not a good PR for a country that is striving to gain a permanent seat in the UN. The only way to get out of this national embarrassment is to persecute all those involved in a court of law with their trail broadcast live in global media. It has also become imperative for all members of the Nigerian Police Force to be subjected to a mandatory psychiatric examination every 12 months due to their role as protector of lives and properties. (God's caretakers).

The Federal government of Nigeria should take urgent steps to enact laws banning all religious leaders from incitement, inducement, inflammatory statements capable of creating tribal tension and establish Religious, Ethnic or Tribal equality Commission to deal with tribal or ethnic complaints, nepotism, favouritism and religious inflammatory statements. These steps could reduce religious and tribal tension in Nigeria. ( Continues below..... )

The need for the Nigerian Police Force to build a new image worthy of commendation can not be overemphasised after that obnoxious killings carried out by its men in that video footage. I will strongly suggest that the Police Public Relations Officer or the Inspector General of Police should make a declarative statement disassociating the Nigerian Police Force from that wicked act against man and God. I know it is hard to change existing paradigm be that as it may, the NPF must either claim responsibility for the killings by keeping silent or disassociate itself from it outrightly through an official statement. It is like trying to change from traditional ways of thinking to modern ways of doing things isn't it?

It is time for the Nigerian Police to draw a framework that could win them back public trust which is a vital social instrument to modern policing. How? They should invest material and social resources into communities that they have taken so much from. They should invest in community projects and community empowerment. The Police should build water projects, amusement parks, help with environmental sanitation, engage individuals in the community in police-citizens sport activities and consultative forum, patrol the streets and ask the locals if they have any problems in their areas or if they need police help etc. The swift action of the new AGF of Nigeria Chief Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) shows that the Nigerian masses is about to witness a social change package to add more value to their lives crushing all the notions and insinuations that the poor and less privileged Nigerians like the ones asked to lie face to the ground then shot is priceless under Yar'adua'/Jonathan's administration. I am pleased with the new proposal to punished any security operatives caught in the act of extra judicial killings. Kudos.

"The police is your friend, bail is free, help the police (with information) so that the police can help you" These catchphrases should move from its substantive meaning to a normative and functional meaning. There is a cloud of uncertainty and anxiety among many Nigerians as to whether the police can be trusted again, everything being equal, if the police uses the right approaches or holistic approach to woo the Nigerian masses, the spirit of forgiveness is what the Nigerian masses is Known for.

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