Nigeria Police and its enemies, -By OLAYINKA SALAMI

Successful actualization of set objectives by public institutions are often met with multidimensional scheming manifest often in orchestrated blackmail, name calling, character assassination and other forms of shenanigans by sections of the public, especially the elite.
This is very common in Nigeria and, to a large extent, it has been part of our under-development crisis.
Ideally, achievements of any kind of national objective requires not just an understanding but support, not just from the ordinary members of the society, but also largely from the elite groups.
Suffice it to say that the pivotal role of the elite in the socio-political scheme of things in the country, and their dominant influence over the multitude, makes the ordinary people, in most cases, swallow hook, line and sinker ideas from this elite groups.
Th is dominant influence at the disposal of the elite which they historically enjoyed and contemporarily sustained has become a kind of weapon of mass destruction potently mobilised against any institution or head of institution whose modus operandi in the pursuance of national interest contradicts their whims and caprices.
Of late in Nigeria, with specific reference to Nigeria Police, no public institution has experienced a tremendous transformation within a very short period of time.
Paradoxically, no known public institution and its head has of late become a subject of elite conspiracy and blackmail like the Nigeria police and its head, Ibrahim K.
Idris.
Th e alarming dimension of this politics of blackmail is worrisome taking into consideration that the Senate of the Federal Republic is now in the forefront of the orchestrated war against the police.
Senator Hamisu Misau from Bauchi state is apparently playing a leading role in this politic of blackmail.
Taking into consideration the Senate antecedent in relation with the police, it is logical to argue that Senator Misau is only acting a script.
He is simply a proverbial rat that is dancing at middle of high way while the drummers are hiding in the bush nearby.
Before taking the battle to the fl oor of the Senate, Senator Misau, in an attempt to smear the credibility of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the police, had alleged that the IGP received on a monthly basis N20 billion from various companies in Nigeria whose managements enjoy the services of the Nigeria Police.
Through this means, according to him, the IGP and his top men earn N120 billion per year.
This allegation was not substantiated nor was the Senator put to task to do this.
This is no doubt unbelievable as no rational man can see any iota of truth in this wild allegation.
Yet, most rational men in Nigeria maintained conspiratorial silence in the face of this ridiculous allegation.
Th is is what gave the Senator the courage to stand in the red chamber to vomit yet another unsubstantiated allegation.
Misau in the Senate, with full attendant of his colleagues accused the IGP of diverting fund approved for Armor carrier for what he described as ‘something else’ without an elaboration of what the money was diverted to.
Misau’s level of condescension and disregard for morality propelled him to accuse the IGP of impregnating two female police offi cers out of whom he said one was married by IGP through secret arrangement.
Th e loquacious Senator did not stop there.
He went ahead to accuse the IGP of nepotistic disposition in his assignment and promotion of offi cers in the force.
He went ahead to argue that officers of Nupe origins are being given priority in promotions and assignment to lucrative areas in the force.
Amazingly, no one senator, in the cause of his vituperative presentation asked him to substantiate the allegations, as ridiculous as they are.
All over the world, the Senate and senators command unequivocal respect.
This is because the men and women in the red chamber are distinguished.
And their activities within and outside the chambers speak volumes of this.
But the way some Nigerian senators conduct themselves leaves much to be desired.
Yes, a committee was set up by the Senate to investigate the allegations.
A serious minded person would have seen no substance in the frivolous allegations to be investigated.
Yet, the senators felt so strong as to think the issues raised deserved to be investigated.
Th e expectation of most Nigerians is that members of the investigating team must compel Senator Misau to substantiate his allegations beyond doubt and make public their fi ndings.
Refusing to do this will further ruin the already questionable credibility of the senators.
Already, in a number of instances, the senators have demonstrated so much insensitivity to the problems facing the police, including huge fi nancial challenges, and one wonders if these guys know the importance of police in stabilizing a democratic system.
Most Nigerians would be surprised to note that years after presenting the Police Trust Fund (PTF) bill to the Senate, they are yet to see the wisdom of subjecting it to serious deliberations or passing it into law.
This is notwithstanding the fact that the senators know more than anybody that the Nigeria Police is confronted with under-funding which it has suff ered historically and which it is battling with till date.
The senators are also not unaware of the tremendous benefi t that is awaiting the nation in terms of enhancement of national security if the bill is passed into law.
They are not so ignorant of how the current IGP has, notwithstanding the fi nancial crises, transformed the police within these two years of his leadership of a force that moribund when he took over.
The IGP has repeatedly appealed to the senator to pass the bill into law, either on the fl oor of the Senate or through other channels.
In spite of all these, the senators refused to do the needful, not because they are impervious to the logic of adequate funding of a strategic security organization like the police.
Not also because they are ignorant of the danger signals of inadequate police funding in the nation’s security scenario, but because perhaps, they have an ax to grind with the oga at the top of the police.
Besides that, the senators have not hid their hostilities towards anything capable of working against the Nigeria Police.
Th at is perhaps why they fi nd Misau’s allegations worthy of senatorial attention, notwithstanding their baseless and childish disposition.
With these discouraging antecedents of the senators, it will be a monumental surprise to see, in the last analysis, a committee report free of biases.
Misau, as a Nigerian, is entitled to whatever he chooses, provided it is done within the framework of the law of the land.
However, that he throws most of these baseless allegations with reckless disregard to their legal implications shows inadequate senatorial display of character.
It is also hard to know the rationale behind Misau’s willingness to do the dirty job of smearing the credibility of the IGP as well as destroying the image of the police.
This surprise is anchored on the fact that Senator Misau is not only biologically a product of police, as his parents are said to be ex-police offi cers, his entire palm cannel are cracked by police’s benevolent spirit.
Today, Misau is a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because of the privilege positions he occupied as a police offi cer, during which he acquired so much money and infl uence that propelled him to this level.
Therefore, like Achebe has correctly argued, those whose palm cannels are cracked by benevolent spirit should not forget to be humble.
Thus, since Senator Misau owns everything to the police, he shouldn’t be expected to do anything capable of destroying the reputation of the institution that made him.
Well, if he chooses to play the role of a proverbial bastard child who points to his father’s house with left hand, he is at liberty to do that.
But one thing the senator must take cognizance of is the fact that the freedom to engage in an action goes side by side with the unenviable spiritual, moral and physical consequences of such an action.
Mr Salami writes from Oshogbo, Osun state.

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