NOT a few Nigerians felt embarrassed and exasperated when a video surfaced last week showing policemen in a parade mode receiving cash from a Chinese expatriate, his wife and child. It was a sorry spectacle that gave the erroneous impression that the Chinese man was a commander reviewing a parade. And as if nothing was wrong with handing cash to the policemen when they were literally in parade formation, the episode was recorded, most probably at the instance of the cash giver. It was a show of shame that gravely demeans the policemen, embarrasses the nation, and puts a question mark on the adequacy of supervision of officers and men of the police force by their superiors. The adage is apt, both literally and metaphorically, that the way you dress dictates the way you are addressed. And if you give your expensive plate the sobriquet of a broken calabash, everyone will regard it as such.
It is sadly the case that many of the affluent and well-placed persons and entities being accorded the privilege of private police security, including foreigners, have little or no respect for uniformed men in this country because Nigerians, too, have disdain for them. And, unfortunately, the police are not doing enough to earn people’s trust and respect. Everyone believes that the personnel of the service can easily be placated with monetary gifts that often amount to tokenism. They are reputed for extortion and with little amount of monetary gifts, they tend to jettison professionalism. Yes, police personnel are poorly paid but how many civil servants or public officials, aside the politicians, are being adequately remunerated in this country? Should poor pay be the reason civil servants should throw professionalism and decency overboard to engage in activities or agree to be subjected to treatments that denigrate the organisations they work for and the people they are meant to serve? Even if the Chinese man thought that because he is rich, he could treat the policemen as it pleased him, why didn’t they resist him and let him know that his approach was irregular, out of sync with their rules of engagement, and therefore unacceptable?
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has reportedly ordered disciplinary measures against the aberrant policemen. In a statement, the Force Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Assistant Commissioner of Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the police authorities had taken note of the video and condemned the conduct of the policemen, adding that it was unethical. He said the force has zero tolerance for such behaviour and warned individuals and organisations privileged to have police personnel as escorts and guards or other specialised services not to undermine the integrity of its men. The police’s swift reaction to the incident is welcome. Nonetheless, many Nigerians are getting tired of the regular reactions by the police authorities after egregious damage to the integrity of the force, and by implication the people of Nigeria, has been done. The authorities should learn to be proactive by training and retraining their personnel to recognise and refrain from conduct that could bring ridicule to the police and the people they serve.
The Chinese national involved in gifting cash to the policemen publicly and filming it has reacted to the offensive video and attempted to clear the air, stating that the way and manner the video was circulated and interpreted stemmed from a serious misunderstanding of what transpired and the true motive. In his words: “No money was given to the officers on any demand or request. There was no bribe, no illegal exchange but in good faith appreciating their professionalism. What you see in the video was a friendly and open interaction — nothing was done in secret and nothing inappropriate happened. It’s a common Chinese tradition, where we come from, to show appreciation or kindness to people who are doing their jobs well, especially when they’ve been helpful or respectful.” However, the man seems to have missed the point because the veritable issue that caused many to take exception to what they saw in the video is not necessarily because they believe that a bribe was being given. Rather, it is the way the cash handout was distributed to the policemen in a parade mode, as it were, and making them to look beggarly, that many found very demeaning and offensive. It was a most indecent and dishonourable way to treat one of the national symbols of any sovereignty. The Chinese said it is customary for his people to appreciate people who have rendered services to them with professionalism, and we hasten to say that the same applies in other jurisdictions, including Nigeria. Perhaps the only difference is that in Nigeria, and in many other climes, people show appreciation without robbing the beneficiaries of their dignity or insulting the sensibilities of the institutions and people they represent.
It is doubtful that this Chinese could order a parade of Chinese policemen and give them gifts openly and in a condescending fashion without incurring the wrath of the authorities in China. In any case, he would not have succeeded with such a deplorable conduct in China because the Chinese policemen would have resisted him. To be sure, there is nothing patently wrong with appreciating staff, permanent or temporary, and assistants, including policemen who are performing their duties excellently, but it should be done with a modicum of decency and respect for the beneficiaries. For instance, the expatriate and his organisation that were involved in the cash gift scandal must have a unit or department handling their financial transactions, so what stopped the department from paying the cash gifts to the bank accounts of the policemen? And since the cash gift was a pittance anyway, why was it not handed over to the policemen individually and discreetly without having to film the distribution?
The incident is hard to believe but it seems that there is nothing impossible in Nigeria. Until the police authorities intervened and condemned the incident, many thought it was a movie skit. It is so shameful that such an incident could happen. Nigerian policemen need to respect themselves or they will continue to be disrespected by unscrupulous persons and organisations. The previous complaint by Nigerians was the subjection of policemen on escort or guard duties to chores and assignments like carrying handbags, washing cars and clothes and such other tasks that are outside the precincts of security duties. But now, Nigerians are witnessing men of the force being given open gratification in a denigrating fashion by foreigners. Somehow, foreigners get away with many terrible things in Nigeria that they will never try in their own country. Handing out a pittance to policemen on a parade formation and filming it is tantamount to gross abuse. Are the Chinese men their commanders? How can a foreigner or anyone be treating uniformed personnel in that manner?
Yes, the Chinese national has apologised for the misdeed but the police authorities should issue a strong warning, emphasising that his organisation risks the cessation of the privilege of private police security should this kind of bizarre incident recur. Also, it is time the police authorities began to ensure thorough supervision of their personnel and enforced strict compliance with the rules of engagement at their places of deployment. The public show of cash distribution to the policemen in a parade formation by the Chinese family is one scandal too many; the police are urged to do everything to forestall a recurrence.
READ ALSO: Police arrest 65-year-old man for issuing fake varsity certificates in Ekiti
and then