By Prince Amen Oyakhire
The Nigeria Police Force is a National Institution designed in the best traditions of the public service to serve the long term interests of Nigeria and Nigerians. It was established in 1861 by the British as a coercive organisation. It is reportedly modelled after its parent, the British Metropolitan Police (MET) in the United Kingdom. It is an indispensable organ of the executive arm of government. It is on the Exclusive List. It has over the years metamorphosed into large but greatly neglected organisation in terms of training and adequate funding. Ideally, an effective and efficient police service is among the first essentials of a responsive Administration in a country. Unfortunately, the police has since inception not been adequately financially sustained. It has been irritatingly poorly funded by each successive federal administration mainly for mere existence rather than performance. Many factors in the past including unhealthy rivalry, large scale indiscipline, gargantuan corruption, profligacy, ethnical and religious hegemony, incompetence, travesty, poor training, inadequate equipment, low remuneration and poor factors of welfarism have seemingly over the years minimised and ridiculed the performance of the Police. Officers are seen simply as enemies by gullible members of the public. No police service in the world represents evil. The Nigeria Police officers are neither admired, liked nor respected but elsewhere in the world they are respected.
The emergence of the police, a body of eligible, qualified and suitable young men and women who are enlisted, trained, equipped and maintained by a country to enforce laws with which they are directly charged, ensure orderliness, protect society and reduce the apprehension of citizens is a notable development in human history. The Police plays important roles without which the sustenance of order, legality, development and Democracy may be very difficult. Any change initiative must take into account the facilitative and inhibitive roles of the Police in Society. The Police, therefore, owe society adequate security which acts as a prime catalyst for peace, order, stability and development. The Nigeria Police of the past performed conventional Police functions excellently. It was responsible for internal security generally. It supported the Prisons, Immigration and Customs Services. It also performed Military duties within and outside Nigeria. Officers were exposed to the best training facilities available within and outside Nigeria. Some were trained in England, USA, Australia, Ethiopia and South Africa. By training and retraining, Police officers are able to progressively imbibe Democratic tenets, perform effectively and efficiently on the basis of competence, commitment, confidence, discipline, loyalty, patriotism and professionalism. Training reinforces officers’ diligence, discipline, honours, knowledge, values and strength of character. Indeed, knowledge adds VALUE to life and no life can have VALUE without DISCIPLINE.
The System that produced officers of the past is one that still commands the respect of Society. Officers were properly trained and retrained, even in Military School, Jaji and thoroughly groomed for National Service. It was simply a Social Service. It was not monetised. The Nigeria Police of the past had a global reputation for efficiency, performance and professionalism. The officers placed their patriotic actions consistently on the plurality of credible sources. They progressively earned for themselves and for Nigeria credible history of excellent performance even in International Engagements. The Police had many respectable officers who were dignified by the selfless and patriotic Service they rendered, did not compromise standards, were respected by the public they diligently served, lived by the ethics of Police Profession and were committed to justice and the rule of Law. The ranks and standing of officers and men were largely regulated and rewarded on the basis of personal merit, seniority, efficiency and experience. Expectedly, many excelled brilliantly, professionally and projected impressively to become National Decency (Pride). The Police Service is a fundamental facilitator in the political and socio-economic development of a Country. Sadly, in Nigeria, successive democratic Federal Governments since 1999 have by default, progressively destroyed the Police. Security in Nigeria is still precariously unhealthy.
The constitutional mandate of the police has remained in limbo for decades in Nigeria because the Police have been poorly perennially funded. Interestingly, the rugged officers of the poorly funded Nigeria Police have a credible history of excellent performance even in International Engagements. The police will perform excellently at home when properly cared for, well trained, equipped and adequately funded. There is no single country in the World without any Police Service but there are many countries without any resident Army. The ends of justice in a country could seriously be jeopardised by insecurity if the police remains ineffective, inefficient and continuously performs poorly. Ingnoratia Policia cum corruptia est populi calamitia. Indeed, the ignorance along with the corruption of the Police constitutes societal calamity (calamity of society).
The policy of the Nigeria Police Service Commission is to provide a complete training programme to train all officers and men from cradle to grave (enlistment to retirement). It is desirable to have sustainable training and retraining for Police officers. The attitude, ideas, knowledge and skills required to perform one’s job effectively are not born or bought but learnt and acquired through training, re-training and by formal and informal education over a period of time. Education is a necessity for public good because it is a catalyst for knowledge acquisition. Truly, knowledge sustains mankind. People will perish without knowledge. In recent years, considerable progress has been made in moving towards a coherent and a comprehensive Programme of Police training which makes the officers readily able to respond quickly, skilfully, professionally and flexibly to changing but rapidly increasing public demands. Oddly, paucity of funds has consistently militated against the realisation of this laudable objective.
The police will not tangibly develop as long as the duly appropriated funds for capital projects are not released by government. His Excellency President Ahmed Bola Tinubue, GCFR, a great patriot, should give internal security prime consideration in the interest of Nigerians. He disclosed in Owerri recently during police security summit that he would greatly enhance the general security situation in Nigeria. Security is the major essence of nations. He also disclosed that not less than ten thousand suitable Nigerians would be enlisted for training as police officers yearly for the next four years starting from 2024. The enlistment process has already begun nationwide. The Police Service Commission is currently handling the exercise. Nigerians deserve an excellent Police System and should have adequate Security in the Country. Nigerians demand security. Our country compels it.
The Federal government should Restore Training and Re-training progressively within and outside Nigeria for all categories of officers from cradle to grave (from Enlistment to Retirement). Government should provide reasonable FUNDS for Training, Equipment and factors of Welfarism. Officers who are well trained and properly cared for will perform excellently. The Police Service is a-Social-Service and NOT a Commercial Establishment. Complainants must not be made or compelled to pay money before their complaints are recorded (incidented). In other words, it is ethically unprofessional, condemnable, illegal, wrong and corruptively unacceptable to collect money from persons before recording their complaints. Indiscipline in all aspects in the Police must be reduced to insignificance.
The regular call for the establishment of State Police in Nigeria is a reflection of the poor General Management of the Nigeria Police by the Federal Government which produces ineffective security delivery. Many factors are responsible. The Federal Government MUST deliberately by commitment ensure that the Nigeria Police Force is well sustained for effective performance and in the provision of adequate preventive and protective security for all persons in Nigeria. Nigeria is not politically matured NOW to establish State Police to be controlled by State Governors. Many Governors of today operate ignorantly but powerfully as Emperors. Most current Governors are despots, political oppressors and intolerants of opposition. The formation of State Police will progressively lead to fragmentation and decimation of Nigeria. The USA did not have a Federal Police until 1903 when FBI was established. Ab initio, 13 Countries came together and formed USA. Each came with its UNIT of Police Service that catered locally for its crime needs but could not deal with Federal organised crimes. The necessity led to the formation of the FBI.
Patriots are appalled by the poor general conditions under which many police officers live and work. They include cramped and unsuitable office accommodation, unhygienic toilet facilities and the absence or near inadequacy of essential items of equipment. The general conditions and appearances of many Police Buildings and Colleges also visibly leave much to be desired. Living, training or working in such unpleasant environment militates against a policeman’s feelings of a sense of dignity or self-esteem for the Office he holds or the service he represents. This unimpressive situation has been negatively exploited by the indifference and reprehensible conduct of many junior Policemen. Miffed by a catalogue of constant inadequacies, many policemen are harsh, unfriendly and aggressively disposed to members of the public. Expectedly, civility, effectiveness, efficiency and performance have seriously declined. This avoidable situation was consistently caused by the callous, insensitive, irresponsive and infamous civil government since 1999. It is already being addressed in public interest by the current sensitive Federal government. The president knows very well that a country is good when the police in the country is good. It is the duty of Government to make the Police in a country to be good by being adequately funded (sustained financially). A Country gets a police service she deserves.
Prince Oyakhire, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, is a former Military Administrator of Oyo and Taraba states.
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