IGP Onovo And Roger Syndrom In The Police

The baton of leadership of the Nigeria Police was handed over to Ogbonna Onovo as the current Inspector-General of Police (IGP) by his predecessor, Chief Mike Okiro  on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 after his confirmation by  Police Council chaired by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FGN) – Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua.

Mr. Onovo was in acting capacity for a short while before being elevated to the substantive position as the Chief pilot of the security affairs of Nigeria. It is of high expectation that the security situation facing the masses in terms of socio-economic trafficking would be reduced drastically in a democratic and civil administration.

Geographically, Nigeria is located at the Western axis of the continent of Africa, as well as being designated the giant of the black race by divine providence. Really, there is an assertion that to whom much is given, much is equally expected. Truly speaking, all African countries are looking up to Nigeria to be a role model to the African society at large including the vital issues of security of life and property.

During the colonial era, the issue of security was primarily administered by the agency known as consuls which operated at different regional domain. However, in 1930, the consul agency metamorphosed into the establishment of the Nigeria Police Force armed with ordinary baton that commands great dignity and honour both to the bearer and the entire citizenry.

It is disheartening that the police of our present dispensation are fully equipped with sophisticated gadgets, but no longer command regard from percentage of the populace. The posit here is Why?

Severally, there has been write-ups and commentaries made by eminent citizens of the country concerning the ill treatment being mete out to members of the public by security agents, particularly the police. The affront is directed mostly to motorists that pligh the municipalities and highways respectively. The primary assignment of the police is to maintain law and order, protect life and property in the civil  society and to enable the citizenry have sense of belonging in a stake.

The question of why the law enforcement agency is not accorded adequate respect  irrespective of being equipped with gadgets in our society today has a long tale. The Nigeria  Police has mortgaged and/or sold her birth right to the public like the Biblical Esau who relinquished his senior position in the family to his younger sibling because of appetite.

Frankly, extortion by all means from .road users at gun point has been the order of the day. This act is openly performed by the uniformed men. Of course, without mincing words, these unscrupulous characteristic “the police  have sent a  number of souls to the grave. The “roger” syndrome has taken different dimension as tags are prepared and numbered for the motorists on daily basis.

Invariably, the law enforcement agents and transporters have become  partners in business. In fact, the high fares  placed on commuters are basically prompted by the so called “roger, syndrome.

In as much as the interest of the citizens should be protected in the civil society, the law enforcement agents should not be  allowed to terrorise and suppress the innocent or less privileged.

In 2003 general elections in Nigeria, a lot  of innocent citizens died in the hands of  law enforcement agents who were hired by the politicians for their selfish interest.

Today, Rivers State has become a lucrative environment for ‘investment’ and bomber harvest by the law enforcement agents. Every nooks and crannies of the Garden City and its environments are multiple checkpoints solely for extortion.

If one is in doubt, kindly make a skeletal research in disguise and one would imagine the level of degradation and let down of the nations integrity by the nefarious acts of the uniformed men. It is equally imaginable whether they were sent to such locations for such dubious acts which they carry out without remorse and shame considering their position as public relations officers (PROs) of the nation.

The practice of extorting money from motorists is a recurrent decimal in the city of Port Harcourt. This means that an unlawful item can easily be made away with provided the palms of the gun men are oiled by evil perpetrators on our roads? One may not believe that the law enforcement agents did not know the rightful locations of the terrorists and hoodlums that have devised another method of kidnapping their fellows citizens for the sole aim of amassing wealth dubiously. It is funny enough that the kidnapper would boldly communicated with the security agencies about what they needed to be paid them at a specified spot before they could let go their captive. What an assault to a nation at 49.

Herein, the new dawn of police administration under the shoulder of Mr. Ogbonna Onovo as inspector-general, it is expedient that a drastic machinery be put in place to check the bad eggs in the police force which has disdained not only the police per se, but the entire image of Nigeria as a sovereign nation.

IG Onovo has greater challenges to combat these ills for a brighter and reliable nation tomorrow.

Ominyanwa is a Public Affairs analist.

Comr. G. .N. Ominyanwa