The Good, The Bad And The Other Side Of Nigerian Police - All You Need To Know About The Misconstrued And The Latest Development

Nigerian police since existence has been a subject of ridicule to all and sundry due to the negative perceived ways the public sees their duty being discharge. We apparently see them as the pariah of all other security apparatus because they are the most closest to the general public as the objectives of their duty dictates and entrenched in Police Acts and Regulations Law of the land.

Many Nigerians has had bitter experiences with the police to the extent that the cognitive dissonance inherent cannot allow them see anything good in their work; such perennial negative experiences make some to swear that none of his family members will have anything positive to do with Nigerian Police Force. Some professional bodies like Lawyers who ordinarily supposed to be partner in discharge and upholding of law and order are not finding it judicious as well considering the cat and mouse relationship that exists between them.

It’s not a rocket science for anyone to know that for bail to be free in any Nigerian police station or division, it will be easier for a needle to pass through the Camel eyes. So also, are other attitudinal vices that characterized the actions and inaction of many officers of the Nigerian police including some senior officer. Despite all these vices and aforementioned anomalies, police remain one of the essential institutions needed around, hence cannot be wished away. Therefore, it must continue to be a necessary evil around regardless of their shortcomings.

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Below are the speech presented in the world conference of a group in Nigeria whose stands to advocate for the well-fairness of the Nigerian Police men and officer, believing that if they could be given appropriate recognition, timely wages, undelayed process in promotional exercise, adequate support by both Government and the general public,, their attitude towards jobs, live saving and properties may become adjusted and truly becomes the people's friend as their usual slogans.

It should comes to our mind that these people also has blood flowing on their veins, a child to someone, a housewife/husband to someone, a mum/dad to some little children but now charges with the responsibilities of conflict resolutions, road warding, apprehension or reformation of criminals, protection of people's live and properties among all, but now, inappropriately catered for or equipped with necessary tools and support, ranging from expertise training requirement, ammunition need, timely promotion, suitable salary structure, proper inspection, accommodation, incentive, motivation or compensation in case of dead or accident on official service. These among many but unmentioned might be the cause of their various vices.

Above all, I personally realized that the products of what the society breeds is what the nation is demonstrate. When the children lacks appropriate training from home, we shouldn't expected nothing more than moral and societal damage. Advocacy does not mean to blidly given support for wrongdoers or unmannered, nay! It's an engagement which involves making light where there's obscurity, boldly be the mouth for the melancholy and illuminate where there's unjust especially, towards assailable.

BEING THE SPEECH, WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE DELIVERED ON 29TH OF AUGUST, 2018 ON THE STATE OF NIGERIA POLICE
WELFARE AND IMPROVEMENT THEREOF BY THE ADVOCACY FOR BETTER WELFARE OF NIGERIA POLICE,

(A NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, Members of the Great Advocates, (Advocacy for Better welfare of Nigeria Police, members of the public, and our Allies in civil societies, you are most welcome to this historic World Press Conference necessitated by the growing concern on the state of welfare and safety of officers of Nigeria police force cum Human Rights issues.

FACTS ABOUT ADVOCACY FOR BETTER WELFARE OF NIGERIA POLICE.

The Advocacy for better welfare of Nigeria Police is a Non- Governmental Organization and a coalition of different interest/non-governmental organizations and individual i.e. human rights organizations, and other professionals who came together to champion the course of better welfare package for officers of the Nigeria Police Force as an important and viable mechanism to serving and protecting the Nigerian Society with integrity and diligence.

It is important to state categorically that this group was conceived by the growing concern of the poor state and funding of police formations across the country, poor welfare of the officers of the Police Force which according to our research team is largely responsible for inefficiency in the line of duty, corrupt practises and abuse of human rights among other things owing to level of frustrations at one point or the need to meet up with running cost and sustenance of various Divisions and Commands in other to deliver accordingly; hence our intervention and the birth of Advocacy for better welfare of Nigeria Police on the 4th day of February, 2018.

Objectives:

★ To advocate and campaign for better welfare package for officers of Nigeria Police Force.

★ To advocate and campaign for transparent, open and accountable delivery of the Nations Police
budget to the appropriate formations.

★ To campaign for a proper and structural discipline for all officers to serve with integrity.

★ To advocate for the respect of Rule of Law and Human Rights of all Nigerians and foreign Nationals
in Nigeria.

★ To advocate for improved policies and continuous review of such policies to hold the Police
accountable for better services and respect for Human Rights in Nigeria.

★ To collaborate, work and have a close link with the Force Headquarters and all formations of the
Police, other Governmental Agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations with similar objectives.

PROBLEMS THAT NECESSITATED THIS WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE

According to Police Act 2010 with Regulations Cap P19, an Act of the National Assembly, Section 4. General duties of the Police states that; The Police shall be employed for the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders, the preservation of Law and Order, the protection of life and property and the due enforcement of all laws and regulations with which they are directly charged, and shall perform such military duties within or outside Nigeria as may be required of them by, or under the authority of this or any other Act.

The Act, in ensuring diligent discharge of the duties of Police gives a proper guidance in Section 339. Standards of Conducts of Police Officers and Section 340. The attributes of Police Officer, with special attention to Section 339, sub-section (a) a police officer shall, be determined and incorruptible in the exercise of his police duties. And Section 34, sub-section (b) courtesy, forbearance and helpfulness in his dealings with members of the public.

However, it is not a new development that the conducts of our Police Officers are in sharp contrast with the Standards of conducts required of Police Officers as mention above and in other sections of the Police Act. By extension, flagrance abuse of human rights and office by some Officers seem the only standards the public have used to measure the Nigeria Police.

It is also important to state that, we are aware that the Force Headquarters as the case maybe from various Inspector Generals of Police at one point or the other, have put in place different measures of discipline to curtailing excesses of the officers, ranks and files, and refine the image of Nigeria Police Force but the situation still remained challenging.

Being members of civil society organizations/human rights communities and individual saddled with and or took up the responsibilities to promote, protect and sustain fundamental human rights as contained in the entire Chapter 4 of Nigeria 1999 Constitution as amended, which makes most of our activities revolved round police formations for strict compliance with respect to human rights and rule of law by the Police, our findings revealed that the yearly budgetary allocation expected to take care of the welfare of Officers and Ranks/Files of the Nigeria Police Force are not being disbursed for its purposes. Poor remuneration, lack of kits and other equipment designed to make the work efficient are lacking, in spite of huge budgetary allocation from the Federal Government; hence the necessity of the formations to source for support which has to a large extent compulsorily redesigned operations of the Police Force thereby, constituting threats to human rights, confrontation with members of the public they ought to serve. This situation has brought about hatred, Police Public hostility and loss of confidence in the Police by the people and a disrepute to the Nigeria police force image.

According to the statistics obtained from the website of the national bureau of statistics, Nigeria Police Total Budgetary Allocation for 2017 was N1,464,672,631 Trillion covering the following, Capital expenses N758,900,000 Billion, Personnel N496,903,313 Billion, Overhead N208,869,318 Billion, and Recurrent N705,772,631. Where these fund sank into remained a mirage to the public as it does not reflect in the operations of Nigeria Police Force.

The 2017 Nigeria Police Budget covering Capital Expenses, overhead cost and personnel were largely underfunded. In another source, the capital expenses proposal was #342 billion only #20 billion was appropriated and only #9.09 billion, representing 45% of the appropriation were released.

The capital allocation should enable the force carry out its statutory responsibilities in the provision of requisite tools and infrastructure. This includes vehicles, arms and ammunition, aircraft, intelligence/surveillance equipment and bomb disposal machinery, maintenance of buildings including offices and barracks nationwide, feeding of detainees, and provision of uniforms, among other things. Other areas like Overhead cost which is also critical to day-to-day running of the Nigeria Police also suffers serious underfunding, same way with personnel cost, the most important of the budget area.

The rejection of the #332 billion 2018 budget proposals presented to the House of Representative committee on Police Welfare by the leadership of Nigeria Police Force describing it as thoroughly inadequate and grossly incapable of mitigating the hydra- headed security situation in the country is an indication that the problem we are considering in this World Press Conference is a National issue that requires all hands on deck. This is an opportunity for the Nigeria Police Force Authority to return to the drawing board for a proposed budget that would be adequate to suppress the current security challenges bearing in my mind, the three fundamental areas of the budget, Capital expenses, Overhead and Personnel cost with special reference to encouraging welfare package for the personnel considering the strength of the Nigeria Police Force. As at December, 2017 the nominal role of the personnel strength was 300,892 which consists of core police personnel, traffic warders, and civilian staff spread across the 12 Zones of the force, 37 State Commands plus FCT,128 Area Commands, 1388 Divisions, 1579 Police Stations and 3756 Police Posts.

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we can tell you categorically that the Police Public confrontation, hatred and hostility are reflective in the inadequacies of the budgetary allocation on one hand, and accountable, transparent expenses and disbursement of the allocation to the appropriate quarters among other things on the other hand.

This group, Advocacy for better welfare of the Nigeria Police notes that for an officer of the Force to fulfill provisions of Section 339 - Standards of Conducts of Police Officers and 340 The Attributes of a Police Officer aforesaid; such Police Officer(s) must not be made to provide for what the Nigeria Police budgetary allocation had catered for, from their personal pocket. It is the stand point of corrupt practises and monetization of bail which negates the Force Headquarters directives, bail is free and Police is your friend. It is our belief, reference to the report of the findings made available by our research team that, lack of proper welfare, none delivery of kits to Police Officers (Uniforms, boots, etc) which forced them to buy from their inadequate salaries are responsible for some of the perennial behavior of the officers, ranks and files of the Police in some circumstances.

Members of the press, you will all agree with us that, Police Officers are also human being, they are fathers, mothers, children of Nigerians and the fact that they are officers of the Nigeria Police does not erodes their fundamental human rights as contained in the Nigeria 1999 constitution including Labour rights, applicable to all civil servants but this agency remains one of the Government agencies that cannot rise up to their welfare package like Nigeria Labour Congress, and other Trade Unions do; hence our decision to plead their cause and agitate for a good welfare packages to ensure they are physically and mentally balance to serve and protect with respect to Rule of Law and Human Rights.

We must also say that, cases of extreme misconducts and abuse of power by same officers both Seniors, and rank and file intoxicates with power cannot be ruled out even if such officers are over comfortable with welfare packages. The public can testify to the fact that, some of us in the human rights league have been the most victimized, harassed, intimidated and brutalized by the same Nigeria Police Force but to prove that we have only one Nigeria, one Nigeria Police Force to be proud of, is our determination; the readiness and sacrifice to launder its image and repositioned it to respect the rule of Law and rights of all Nigerians. The public can equally be assured that this group and its allies will not hesitate to expose any officers who would continue to abuse the power and responsibilities on his/her shoulder with the effrontery to drag the name of Nigeria Police Force to mud.

MODE OF OPERATION

While we agreed with the members of the public that some men of the Nigeria Police Force have constituted serious threat to Rule of Law, Human Rights, and performs below standards in the line of their duties in some situations, we cannot but also acknowledge challenges of the Police Officers in terms of necessary provisions, welfare and other benefits in situations of those who died on active duties. One of our techniques and mode of operation to attaining our dream Police in Nigeria is to be regular and update on monitoring, evaluation and reporting as event unfolds on the budgetary allocation and welfare of the officers of the Nigeria Police Force. Other areas are;

Regular liaising with the Police Authorities from the Force Headquarters, Zones, State Commands, Area Commands, and the Divisional Headquarters for updates and evaluative measures on areas of concern.

Advocate and mount pressure on the National Assembly for adequate budgets and the States House of Assembly for support through state security trust fund.

Interface with the Ministry of Finance to publish approved budget of the Nigeria Police Force and how such budgets are dutifully disbursed to the appropriate quarters.

To have constant discussion/relationship with the Police Service Commission with respect to regular review of the officers' record and promotion at the stipulated time in line with the rules.

To request for regular updates on payment of Police Pensioners from the Police Pension Fund.

OUR DEMAND

In view of the foregoing, and in the interest of National Development and or Nation Building, Safety and respect for Rule of Law and Human Rights, we therefore demand as follows.

Immediate update and upward review of the monthly salary of all officers, rank and file with a minimum of Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000) for the least Officer, a position of constabulary.

Provision and regular delivery of Police kits, such as uniforms, boots, bullet proof vest and other equipment covers under Capital expenses as budgeted for.

Quarterly and regular publishing of the disbursement of budgetary allocation of the Force to various formations including, Capital, Overhead and Personnel cost in the national dailies.

Provision of housing or accommodation for transferred officers from one state to another state as a duty post.

Regular review of the officers' record and promotion without sentiments at the stipulated time in line with the rules.

Promulgation of a Police Trust Fund Act, a legal framework that will outline the arrangement for the funding of the Nigeria Police Fund.

We like to use this forum to appreciate the Presidency for the recent directive issued to the Inspector General of Police for rearrangement of the Federal Special Ant-Robbery Squad emphasizing the limit of their operations. In the same vein, we dove our cap for the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim for his swift response to the Presidential directive on the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad FSARS and commend him for the good measures put in place.

However, we like to also convey agitation of the Nigerian people on the new arrangement of the FSARS allying the fear that individual Officers intended to be drafted or that are now drafted into the new FSARS would soon defile the directive order and engage in the condemnable misconducts of the previous and disbanded SARS across the country.

To this end, we urge the Presidency and the Force Headquarters to ensure strict compliance and uncompromising disciplinary action for any group or individual officers, rank and file who are ready to drag the name of Nigeria Police Force into mud and make mockery of the Presidential order.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, fellow Nigerians, our group urge you to have strong believe and join us in this project and sacrificial journey to sanitizing and rebranding the image of Nigeria Police Force. Because we are Nigerians, we can only be proud of Nigeria Police Force; hence effort to make it better and serve with integrity.

Thanks you,

.
Comrade Bankole Solomon Esq
President

Comrade Adeola S. Ilori Esq
General Secretary

God Bless Nigeria!
GOD Bless Nigeria Police Force

You can have a say!

You can say your mind!!

You may have a great contribution for better Nigeria through starting from security men and self awareness!!!

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Kindly visit the ADVOCATE FOR POLICE WELFARE and you will always be welcome

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