Security Operatives And Reckless Driving

Barely 10 days ago, Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, impounded four vehicles within Port Harcourt metropolis, for driving against traffic. Among the four were a police patrol van, a truck and two private vehicles. The other vehicles met their waterloo for following the police patrol van. It was the second time within a month that the governor would impound police patrol vans for the same reason.

Unfortunately, poor trafic habit has regned supreme  in the last two years. Infact, the governor has, on several occasions, impounded vehicles belonging to private individuals and influential public officials, including local government chairmen. The state chief executive did not end at impounding the offending vehicles; he also ordered the arrest and prosecution of their drivers in keeping with subsisting traffic laws and regulations in the state.

Indeed, The Tide feels particularly worried at the spate of violation of traffic laws in the state, especially by law enforcement officers, who are naturally supposed to enforce the laws. In fact, it is no longer in doubt that members of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) are the worse culprits in the fight against traffic offenders in the country.

What else do we need say? The Tide is appalled that police patrol vans, on non-emergency missions, even with the drivers only in the vans, blare their sirens indiscriminately to scare away other vehicles on their right of way. Police patrol vans, on routine patrol, also assume ownership of the roads, and drive against traffic. They threaten other vehicles and pedestrians, and even cause unnecessary accidents, and deaths. Their actions have, more often than not, caused excruciating hold-ups on the roads.

It is  interesting to note that other motorists venture to drive against traffic simply to immitate  police vehicles or those belonging to other law enforcement agents, military or paramilitary personnel. These days, with just security stickers, even civilians disregard traffic laws with impunity especially when such a vehicle enjoys Police presence by way of escorts, sometimes, on illegal duty.

The use of bullion vans is one easy way to break the law by traffic offenders with the aid of full police escort.

The Tide regrets that this total breakdown of law and order on our roads is aided and abated by those whose responsibility it is to enforce rules in the society. It is indeed, a shame that law enforcement officers, have turned themselves into serious law breakers, even with impunity. It is, perhaps, the shame of a nation, that at a time, when, the citizens are bracing up to respect a democratic government that guarantees rule of law, equality, justice, freedom of all citizens, among others, those who were by law supposed to provide the launching pad as models of law and order, are themselves, the crusaders of disorder and anarchy.

We think the society has tolerated this enough. We, therefore, challenge the police authorities to begin internal reorientation, enlightenment, and cleansing that leaves the force as the vanguards in the respect and enforcement of good traffic conducts and practices in the state. This is because we believe that an orderly and safe road traffic practices can only begin with the police. Our conviction is based on the premise that when the police stop violating traffic laws and regulations, other citizens would fall in line without being coerced to do so.

The Tide also urges other government agencies charged with the responsibility of enforcing traffic laws and regulations, as well as managing the prosecution of offenders to do so without let or hindrance. We further make bold to task the judiciary to wake up and accelerate the prosecution, if any, of traffic offenders arraigned before them, whether they are law enforcement officers or not. The law should be allowed to apply to every traffic law breaker, no matter his or her leaning in society.

It is not just the duty of the governor to respect traffic laws, impound or arrest offenders. He has done that in the last two years because he has respect for the laws of the land. And we think that if the law enforcement agencies and other traffic management personnel do their beat, according to the law, sanity would once again, return to our roads.

The Tide, therefore, urges the entire police system to begin to act in the right direction now. We also appeal to all road users to respect road signs, traffic laws and regulations. This is the only way we can collectively assist in restoring order and sanity to our roads. If we value our lives as Rivers people and Nigerians, then we must do everything to ensure that our roads are no longer chambers of death, simply because of our recklessness and disrespect for the laws of the land. Let us not invent anarchy on our roads in this era of civilization. A word is enough for the wise!