FOR obvious reasons, Nigerians are not generally enamoured of members of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). For one thing, certain members of the force seem to be always willing to treat members of the civil populace as sub-human species, subjecting them to horrors of different kinds. Policemen have been caught on various occasions harassing, torturing and even killing innocent citizens. For another, the widespread corruption that the force as a whole is often associated with has been a disincentive to healthy relations between the force and the citizenry. The situation is so bad that it is sometimes assumed, perhaps wrongly, that all a vehicle thief needs to sail through the various police roadblocks that dot the highways is to readily dispense naira notes at every turn. At any rate, over the years, it has been extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the populace to bond with the police, as a climate of mutual hatred and suspicion seems to subsist between the two critical segments of society, and there are no signs that the situation might change radically in the foreseeable future. While there is no justifying the infractions that Nigerians tend to point to when they criticise the force, it is also true that, over the years, some members of the force have lived up to billing, approaching their duties professionally and conscientously.
Recently, the Katsina State police command received plaudits for arresting two suspected car thieves, rejecting a N1 million bribe, and recovering a stolen vehicle, among other exhibits. According to a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, the incident took place on April 11 around 3:00 p.m. during a routine patrol in the Birnin Kuka village area of Mashi Local Government Area of the state. DSP Sadiq explained that officers attached to Border Patrol Zone 4, Katsina, flagged down a green Toyota Corolla LE, which was driven by Mubarak Kabir, 26, and Adamu Hashim, 27, both residents of Kurna quarters in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State. A preliminary investigation, he said, revealed that the vehicle had been stolen from FCT Abuja.
In an attempt to evade arrest, the suspects offered ₦1 million in bribe money to the officers. However, the officers rejected the illicit offer and took the suspects into custody. Items recovered from the suspects included the stolen vehicle, ₦1 million in cash, three mobile phones, one power bank, and a bunch of keys. The force spokesman’s said an investigation was ongoing to fully determine the extent of the suspects’ involvement in criminal activities. He assured the public that updates on the case would be communicated as the investigation progressed. On his part, the Katsina State Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Shehu, commended the officers for their patriotism, dedication, and integrity in resisting the bribe attempt. He did not fail to emphasise the command’s abiding commitment to protecting citizens’ lives and property while maintaining a high standard of professionalism and respect for human rights.
Read Also: Defections: Atiku’s political future now bleak – Presidency
This incident is, we believe, highly commendable, particularly as it is coming at a time when public perception of the force is abysmally low. All too often, the NPF is rated as one of the most corrupt institutions in Nigeria and efforts by the authorities to redeem the force over the years seem to have made little or no impact. The average Nigerian tends to see a policeman as an enemy, an oppressor, and someone that cannot be trusted. What stories like the Katsina one show is that all hope is not lost, that there are men and women in the force who take their jobs seriously, who are committed to upholding the rule of law, and who will never compromise ethical standards. If the public regularly censures bad behaviour within the ranks and file of the police, there is no reason decent conduct should not be celebrated.
We commend the Katsina police officers who resisted the allure of a bribe and apprehended criminals. That is the way to go. No doubt, the criminals in this case thought that they could bribe their way through and retain the proceeds of their crime. Now, they obviously know better, and that is good for the country. As we have said on many occasions, crime would not fester in the country if criminals feared the certainty of arrest and prosecution. The Katsina Border Patrol officers have done well. The country needs more of such people in the system to restore sanity in its affairs.
and then