Towards an effective policing for Nigeria     

SIR: Discussions have always been on about what can be done to change the narratives of Nigeria Police Force in such a manner that their overall outlook and performance would satisfy the yearnings of the citizens by delivering effectively on their mandate of providing adequate protection for lives and properties. 

Members of the House of Representatives at a time were not left out of the same issue with a view to finding how there can be a total overhaul of the force and stop them from always being in the news for the wrong reasons.

To the representatives, what felt like an urgent recommendation was a legislation to forbid law enforcement agents from alcohol and other such substances while on duty since, to them, such illicit items were the major cause of their constant misbehaviour and irresponsibility.

Even if that is the case, members of the house still failed to consider the equally important aspect of who would enforce such law if enacted when those who are supposed to do so themselves are the main culprits.

If the truth be told, anything about alcohol is even the least of what should be at the front burner when the issue concerning the police becomes a national debate. The spate of insecurity across the country which has assumed an all time frightening dimension is where the focus should concentrate. It is a pointer to the urgent need for rebranding in order for those saddled with the responsibility of protecting the citizens to be able to do so quite convincingly.

The first necessary change urgently needed for the Nigerian police is therefore a re- orientation about policing being a special duty meant to serve humanity and not to terrorise it. The manner of approach and interaction of the police with members of the public which at the moment is more of enmity,  rivalry and suspicion need critical evaluation that can engender friendship and restore people’s confidence and trust in the force. In order to achieve this, training and retraining of serving officers is sine qua non and then putting in place of a special national squad to be charged with monitoring of officers for total compliance may be necessary in order to put officers under constant surveillance.

The method of recruitment into the force may also need a complete re-examination. With so many unemployed graduates roaming the streets, maybe it is high time the nation made first degree the minimum requirement for entry into the force while those without such qualification should be eased out gradually. This is because whatever new strategy the nation hopes to adopt in changing its law enforcement apparatus, education is key and without it, all efforts at reform may be futile. With well-educated personnel, the desire to have a force with an entirely new orientation will be easy to achieve.

It must be emphasised however that any nation hoping and wishing to have a truly responsible and responsive law enforcement system must also be ready to back such desire up with adequate funding. Law enforcement is a very arduous task that is also capital intensive in order to provide those involved with enough encouragement and motivation to put in their very best. 

To begin with therefore, there should be rapid elevation, renovation and transformation of all police facilities including the training schools and the barracks to such an enviable status that everyone would be proud of. The fact that these facilities have been neglected for decades and left in different stages of dilapidation is a pointer to the nation’s non-readiness to have a progressive force made up of disciplined personnel.

Besides, members of the force deserve mouth-watering remunerations that can make them respect their calling and discourage them from their notorious culture of bribes from the street and the counters.

Apart from enhanced salary structure, other mouth-watering welfare packages such as life insurance will also encourage them to put in their very best in whatever circumstances they find themselves in the full awareness that adequate provisions and compensations are already in place for them in case of any eventuality.

Moreover, at this stage where members of the force have become easy targets for enemies of the state who now attack and kill them while in line of duties, it is very important that adequate bullet proof gadgets should be provided to secure them properly against sudden attacks.
• Jide Oyewusi, Coordinator of Ethics Watch International, wrote in from Lagos.