By Zik Gbemre

With everything that has been happening in the country in recent weeks, as regard the End-SARS protests, which led to the disband of SARS and being replaced with SWAT, which many say this appears to be little more than a rebranding exercise, and for that, has continued with more protest; let me reiterate here that, I am not against the urgent need to reform the Nigerian Police Force and all its Units, but I still believe that this issue, is being taken to another level that is not favourable, and not in the interest of the country at the long run if not properly managed. This is because when we look at things, Nigeria as it is currently, cannot do without having proper policing of our society. Otherwise, the insecurity situation in the country will seriously get out of control.

I have always been an advocate of Nigeria having a better Police Force, if only the right things are done. Hence, for the needed reform of the Nigerian Police, it must start from better and more funding. So that Officers and men of the Force, can be better equipped with modern gadgets like radio and walkie-talkies, protective gadgets/gears to be able to quench riots, peaceful protests, etc. And most importantly; to help them to be more trained; refurbish their barracks; provide adequate logistics to enable them promptly respond to distress calls; provide them tracking devices in all Police Stations; provide them operational costs to enable them, for instance, transport and travel from one location to another during investigations – without asking them to demand for money from complainants/suspects; provide accommodations/hotels when they are newly transferred to another location, or in their investigation movements; provide them vehicle maintenance costs; provide new uniforms without them paying for it or making it themselves, etc.

Agreed that the said Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has long been accused of harassment, unlawful arrests, torture, and even murders, but these are issues with most Security Outfits across the world, including those in the United States of America, which can always be mitigated with proper re-training and management of the officers concerned in the said Force. But the crux of the matter is that, we cannot be complaining and protesting about these issues, when we have not taken the time to look at things clearly and understanding why some of these things are happening.

As noted by Mahmud Jega in a recent Column of Daily Trust: “Never mind the excesses of the now disbanded SARS. Police men and women in Nigeria should get their reward here on earth before we all go to heaven. We tend to believe that our cops in Nigeria are ineffective, sloppy and corrupt. Remove them from the scene for an experimental one week and let us see how many burglaries, muggings, robberies, kidnappings, fights, commercial disputes, child abuses, landlord ejections and violent marital disputes would go unsolved within the period. People are in charge of our security, but all we do is to scoff and jeer and look down upon them. National Assembly, please amend the Police Act and allow policemen to go on strike. There will be another nationwide protest, this time with the hashtag #End Police Strike”

Has anybody seen Police officers that are usually drafted in groups, from one State to another? You will see the pains and sufferings they pass through. They are transported like cargos/goods in lorries, and dumped in their new locations to sort out things for themselves from accommodation to feeding. Who uses lorries in these time and age to transport human beings? At times, the vehicles will break down on transit. I have seen newly transferred police officers sleeping on office chairs and tables for months. Who will perform under such harsh conditions? In fact, bring in the US/UK police officers and put them under such harsh conditions, I bet they will die. This is why I have always said that, for us to have a ‘crime-free’ society, there is need to appropriately fund the institution that is responsible for providing the security service in the first place. It is only when this is holistically sorted out, that we can now hold the men and officers of the NPF responsible for not doing their job efficiently or said to be corrupt.

It is sad that the entire systems and sectors in Nigeria have collapsed. There is no sector that is functioning as it should be. The only sectors that is very lucrative in Nigeria is Government work. The public officials – both appointed and elected, consume/mismanage/misappropriate our collective public wealth/resources. For instance, what will one single politician be doing with fleets of exotic and very expensive cars in a motorcade? And some of the cars are usually empty with only one driver. Then visit the official compounds and private compounds of the mansions of these Nigerian politicians. You will see state-of-the-art cars idly packed in decorated canopies without being put to regular use. It has become a culture in Nigeria to show-off, having illicitly made money, so that people will say that you have arrived. Whereas, these politicians became what they are by dipping their filthy hands into public funds. When such funds could have been judiciously used to address the myriad of problems plaguing every sector of the polity, which includes the nation’s security outfit of the Police.

In other words, Nigerians have got it all wrong with the energies being exerted over this End-SARS protests or what have you. They are fighting the wrong set of people because the Police officers themselves, are victims of the flawed system like every one of us. The best way to address a problem, go for the root cause, and not the branches. And it is painful that majority of the Nigerian elites, who are supposed to be in a better position to hold those in Government accountable, are the ones that are over excited with their useless commentaries online over these issues. When one writes about the ‘real issues’ adversely affecting Nigerians, none of them will comment. But write about contents that are on sex, love, jokes, and trivial issues on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms, you will have thousands of commentaries and followers admiring you. All these are signs of a failing, degenerating and morally-bankrupt nation occupied by majority of unserious minds.

I have read comments like: why should Zik Gbemre not supporting the End-SARS protests? And my reply is that I have the right to air my views, even when the crowds of people are not in support of it, or are there for the wrong reasons. The question is: Is SARS the major problem of Nigeria? Also, who are the people behind these campaigns and protests? We have seen how some of them are said to have been sponsored by yahoo-yahoo boys/internet fraudsters, and political opponents. While others have been hijacked by hoodlums to cause mayhem in the society. I believe no sane person will encourage the sort of rascality and hostility we have seen with the said End-SARS protests. Any sane mind and well-meaning Nigerian should know what the real problems of this country are. The Nigerian problems are caused by the politicians. And sadly, most of the common masses are the ones who encourage them by singing their praises for practically doing nothing. They recognize them as ‘big men’ in the local society, and as great achievers and what have you. So, why won’t the Nigerian problems continue to get worse?

A situation where a man without evidently legit source of income (be in business or career professions), is called a millionaire or billionaire today, and the people are excited; what should we expect from such a society? I ask the question again, what were the wealth status of politicians like James Ibori, Emmanuel Uduaghan, Ifeanyi Okowa, Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, James Manager, Godspower Orubebe, Amos Utuama, and many other present public office holders in Delta State, before 1999? None of them was known to have owned any known businesses like as we have heard of the ones owned by David Dafinone, Michael Ibru, Alfred Rewane and few others. But as of today, all the supposed Niger-Delta ex-militants are billionaires. Nobody is asking: from where did they get the billions of monies from to own and have their current state of wealth?

I know my critics will say Zik Gbemre is always on the opposite side. But I really do not care. They are free to call me all sorts of names because I am used to it. Disagreeing with the views of the crowds does not bother me. I think we need to start setting our priorities right as a people in this country. Rather than be unnecessarily excited over protests that are misdirected. There are genuine concerns, problems and things to demand from Government at all levels, and not the said End-SARS protests to waste our energy for.

Zik Gbemre.

October 16, 2020.

*We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes*