It baffles me! I am utterly astounded beyond the conceptual frame of rationality. It is yet another experiential encounter of the perpetuation of conservatism and incompetence. Everything was black from the unfortunate act, to the road it occurred on, to the time of the day it mostly happen, to the livery worn by the perpetrators. I am left without any choice but to ruminate that there is a direct symbiosis between the attire they deck on and their behavioural temperament, mental disposition and habitual manner of operation. If otherwise, why should such an institution that is saddled with the constitutional obligation of upholding the rules of the land and protecting the citizenry from injuries either to themselves or to there properties becomes the very one that in a most savage mannerism of impropriety put the people they are suppose to safeguard into suffocating pains, sometimes complete annihilation and most often the destruction and ruin of the means of their livelihood. If this were to be reported in a foreign tabloid or other media, I couldn’t have given it an iota of belief.
The Nigeria Police Force (N P F) was a 1930s creation during the hostile draconian and parasitic colonial administration of the British government. The (N P F) since its creation was bestowed with the legal duties of maintaining peace, law and order, safeguarding the lives and properties of the people among other responsibilities. Susan Martins (1990) states that, law enforcement officers ‘are supposed to prevent crime, protect life and property, enforce the laws, and maintain peace and public order’.
The ancient Greek philosopher, Hiraclitus declares that, ‘change is the only permanent thing in life… It is the law of nature and conditions of all things, for all things are ceaselessly changing. All things are in the state of flux’. Old things and ways die out to give space for new things and ways to come on board. Fortunately, some law enforcement institutions have wholly metamorphose from their old operative tendencies to a new sophisticated and technologically driven ones in response to the changing times. Unfortunately, some do not. They still clutch to the old ways even when it has become necessary and logical to adjust for either being blind or too insensitive to modern and safer trends in their field. Such institutions like the (N P F) are an aberration to what constitute modern operative techniques especially on the high-way operations at night.
Police check points are intended to cope and prevent criminal activities of some bad fellows who have taken it upon themselves to live like predators. To the contrary, this is not the state of check points in Nigerian roads as they constitute a menace to motorists among other dubious acts of the police.
Frequently, these roadblocks or check points are set up in the high-way and usually in an inauspicious location like road bends and hill brows using heavy trunks of trees that were mercilessly chopped down. This bizarre and unmodern act most often leave the motorists crying in the pool of their blood and sometimes deceased as such barricades or obstruction could not be seen in due time, so that the driver avoids running into them. Worst still, is the fact that these heavy blockades are left as they are set abreast the dual lanes at night without any form of modern means of illumination to signal to the road users that they are approaching a security check point. Instead, some abso-bloody-lutely anachronistic lanterns that emit fuliginous and nebulous red flames are set across the edges of the road; these red flames only become apparent when the driver is right at them. Many a times, fatal accidents occur for this careless, thoughtless and retrogressive act. As a result, properties worth substantial amount of Naira are lost and some times innocent lives go with them. Recently, a friend had to suffer great lost as a result of this along Bauchi-Gombe road. Yet, many have lost love ones already and these check points will continue to do harm instead of good to the people.
Time is more than right and appropriate for the (N P F) to mutate from their prehistoric mentality and perilous acts especially with regard to the issues afore mentioned and embrace modern and better ways of doing things especially as they relate to the general public, so that they can serve the people effectively and honourably. A simple illuminating light box with ‘POLICE CHECK POINT’ boldly written in it and placed on a conspicuous spot on the road should not be beyond the reach of the Nigerian Police Force.
To go journalistic, Daily Trust of the April 5th 2011carried the story ‘Scores die along Jos-Bauchi highway auto crash’. In the story, over 20 people are feared dead, not to mention the injured ones and the destroyed vehicles and other properties caught in the mayhem. This accident was caused by a roadblock outfit along Jos- Bauchi highway. Our politicians never care because it is one of the place that reminds them of their super-human feelings as the road blockers never fail to freeze in salutation, beside the better the car the less the scrutiny.
More so, these roadblocks are models for the wayward-armed robbers who mount similar outfits to cause additional hardship to the already over traumatized citizens of this country. If these roadblocks are necessary on the highway, then they should be given human face scientifically, technologically and safely. At least we are in the 21st century and there are models, even if our police are so uncreative to initiate road safety checkpoints.
Although this write-up may not enjoy the readership of the ‘right people’ but the right minds will not miss the points being made.
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