There a lot of things that Nigeria as a country should be embarrassed about, it’s not just the fact that as an oil producing Country, we still have frequent fuel scarcities; or that we have an unsteady and unreliable power supply; or that Ghana, a way more smaller country than Nigeria, has a more valuable Currency than us; or that we are on the World’s top ten list of the most corrupt countries; or even that our maintenance culture in this country is so poor that National histories like the Tafawa Balewa square, National stadium etc, are in poor conditions; No, it’s not any of these sorry situations, but a certain group of people who knowingly or unknowingly are a National embarrassment. Who? You might wonder,’The Nigerian Police’ is my answer.
I’m hoping that as you read this, you would agree with me that our police force is nothing to be proud of. I can bet that everybody has had an awful experience with them one way or another. It’s so apologetic that they are often taken as a joke or most times even taken for granted. We all know that they are so corrupt that tipping them with 100 bucks could get them off your back during a high-way patrol check....*SMH*. I don’t know if these people are aware that that represent National security, yet they seem to create an atmosphere of unease and despise anytime they are around, and instead of creating order, commotion follows them; a good example is when they drive through traffic, blowing their sirens loudly and weeping cars of the road.
It’s only in Nigeria, where you get to the Police station to report a case that you are asked to pay for investigation, WTH? As if it wasn’t their jobs. I’ve had friends tell tales of their personal experiences with the police; a friend of mine was driving thru Victoria Island one night, and narrowly escaped a group of armed robbers; as he got to the next junction, he met a group of police men whom he reported the incident to, and believe me, their response was “don’t worry, their cup go soon full” whaaaaat? Seeing that they weren’t budging, my friend asked if they weren’t going to do anything about it, and one answered “you sef, you no be man? Why you no pursue them comot?” Hmmm! I personally have had an awful experience with them as I was held up from 12mid-night till about 2am in the morning cos I refused a police man from putting his hand into my hand bag, even when it was clear there was no reason to hold me hostage.
My opinions about them might be a bit rash ohh, but i think these set of people need some form of re-orientation. A friend of mine once said he would rather be attacked by armed robbers than be harassed by police-men at night. I know this is rather extreme, but he was really mad at the time, when he made this remark. If you consider all the political and religious riots going on in the country, I have not seen or heard of any commending efforts by the police to reduce the damage. The general opinion of them is a mixture of lack of respect, disgust and fear. Their general appearance is nothing to write home about as they mostly look scruffy and untidy.
I’ve seen several pictorials that depict a low state of these set of people in whose hands we put our security, how disgraceful! Really, something has to be done about these people. A lot is required to build-up a nation, but mostly it takes the People.
Hilarious but true!
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