NIGERIA is under siege, and fear for the known and unknon have be come a commonplace. Almost, everybody can hardly trust their shadows. The climate of fear is absolutely real, no matter what anybody might say. Even Nigerians in the diaspora appreciate the fact that things have fallen apart at home. Because has become flat to quote an expert and not just a global village, Nigerians most times get to know about latest developments in the country before their compatriots at home. However, this is a part of the stark realities our leaders hate to hear, prefering sycophancy and deceit instead. Consequently, many organs of government have consistently failed to live by the duties. The functionaries play the ostrich, while the ship battles with a turbulent ocean tide. The Nigeria Police is to guarantee internal security of lives and property. Other security arms complement that primary statutory functions, including the judiciary.But because of expediency, that role appeared to have been subsumed by other security organs to avert further the psyche of the citizens of the country. The militancy in the Niger Delta brought to the fore the rising incapability of the police to guarante internal safety, hence the military option. The Boko Haram manstra is another classic instance of the failure of nation's policing system. Often, people blame the gross insufficiency, uneffectiveness and rudderless of our police force on inadequate funding, insufficient manpower, poor welfare and renumeration, lack of regular trainning and modern equipment. Some say the problems were carried over from the period of military interregnum and sustained under civil rule.Though some official quarters have tried to whip up similar sentiments, such challenges, if real and severe, cannot justify the savagery, crudeness, brutality, intimidation and humiliation most Nigerians are being subjected to by men that are being clothed and fed by taypayers. They cannot claim to have greater and higher stakes than other stakeholders in different professional callings, including the ordinary law-abiding man on the streets in Kafanchan in the North or Ogoja in the South. The increasing incidence of extra-judicial killings by policemen in the country remains a major concern for human rights organisations and the media. Some of the recent killings occurred at roadblocks that have multiplied in number because of the upsurge in violent crimes being exacerbated by the activities Boko Haram members. People are being harassed by armed security personnel mostly policemen at the roadblocks, which on inter and intra-city roads are less than 200 metres apart. There was this case that happened last week at the police roadblocks under the bridge at Animashaun, not far from Teslim Balogun in Surulere, Lagos. A well-known and respectful entrepreneur and medical practitioner was flagged down at about 1 pm there. From the way the policemen acted, their main target was anyone in exotic vehicle. Incidentally, our friend, though chauffeur-driven, found himself in the category. They frisked him, turned all sections and object inside his car inside out, and the only 'incriminating' item they could detect was a sum of N100, 000 only. So, he was asked to negotiate for his freedom. At that stage, he had to make efforts to assert his inalienable right, but his tormentors told him they were not serving the country since it was not prepared to serve them in turn. Realising that the man was not ready to offer a bribe, the policemen demanded that he could go if he parted with N5, 000, which one of them said it should be a million naira. To save himself from further embarrassment, he offered N2,000. However, his captors insisted on N5,000. As he left the scene of the encounter, his head and mind were full of conjectures. What could have happened if he had stood on his rights as a citizen' Would the situation be positively different if the money found by policemen was more than N100,000 when many have been killed over N20 settlement syndrome' Of course, a lot of people blamed the doctor for summoning the courage to confront the policemen, even though he remember vividly the words of his late mentor, Dr. Tai Solarin, that it is only the mad that will argue with or confront an armed man. That seems to be the evolving culture in the land because of the impunity among those privileged to wear police uniform. When and how do we conquer this fear'Oderemi,08023501874 (SMS only)
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