Nigeria Police Force: Of What Purpose?
Introduction
Nigeria is a Country of multidimensional ethnic and religious loyalties that preceded and superseded our modern governments. Nonetheless, as a modern State, we must ensure our rules and laws stand above our loyalties to ethnic groups, religious and political leaders. The evils of ethnicity and religion have been a threat to our national strength and honour.
Our Country is what protects us and shares rights and responsibilities. For the State, the Primary Responsibility of every government is the welfare and security of the people. Embedded in this responsibility is the protection and preservation of the abstract State. This ordinarily means that for every government to ensure and retain power, it must at least possess a strong Police Institution.
Therefore, every Police Force or Service is inherently a political institution that reflects the primary responsibility and core priorities of the Government that they serve.
The Purpose of Nigeria Police Force
Ascertaining the purpose of the Nigeria Police Force may seem like an odd exercise. This is because of the general beliefs that every police is ostensibly established to maintain an equilibrium state of internal security and they all share basic similarities in command and organized structures. These basic similarities obstruct the divergent ways Police powers are deployed for either the welfare and security of the people or the protection of the abstract State or for political reliability (protection of regime).
A Police Force established for the latter purposes makes it unsuitable for the promotion of the cardinal or primary responsibility of every government.
The establishment purpose of the Nigeria Police Force is to protect the regime in power because our heterogeneity always provides us with a weak and insecure government so, law and order becomes a priority. This is where political reliability comes as a priority even if it recedes the capability of the Police to maintain an equilibrium state of internal security mechanism or promote the welfare and security of the people.
The Police as a Political Instrument
The Nigeria Police Force is a political instrument to achieve political reliability. This is mostly understood as we view the ongoing politicization of the Police. This politicization is so evident that it may break down the institution. The decay of our institutions including the Police mirrors a breakdown in our social cohesion. This is our worst news but we should strive to protect the institutions we still need for our present and future.
The IGP has linked his jaws around the bones of his office. Restricted information such as the Police Staff List is published on various social media platforms. Senior police officers are accused of forgeries and falsification of enlistment dates and other infractions. My question is this: is the system succeeding in what it was built for which is bureaucratic oppression?
Some commentators are brewing the idea that the IGP is drained of any moral authority to discuss or clarify these trending issues. He also participated in this hell.
Our Present Matters and Fears
My goal is to interrogate a present gone wrong and stimulate reactions from our political leadership.
President Tinubu has shown immense good intentions towards fostering an internal security mechanism that will promote the primary responsibility of the government. With the civilian headship of the Office of National Security Adviser to transparent and dedicated policies for economic development, the President has been focused and that is part of our present.
Our fears are that, the Police leadership as constituted may be poised to destroy these exemplary conducts of the President. We are further afraid that the police that should defend us and our country is presently engrossed in political and unethical rivalry to tease their convenient fantasies. The IGP and his crew forget that our physical security is a critical requirement for Tinubu’s economic development policies.
Our Call
We call on the President to use his good offices and begin a de-politicizatioon of the Police, prevent any form of tenure elongation for any Police Officer including the IGP, promote a merit-based incentive or promotion system, restructure the Police centralized command system and ensure professional ethos that will uphold allegiance to the people and political institutions over self aggrandizement by Officers who are drained of moral authority to preside over the affairs of the largest bureaucratic Institution in Nigeria.
Credits: Dr Ody
