This things makes us unique as a nation, you dont need any cinema hall to watch any police investigative movie in Nigeria or say a certain television channel to watch the Nigerian version of N.C.I.S series, lol its out there on the dusty street of my freaking nation ... no fee no security office to restrain you from using your camera to infringe coyright laws ... dont forget to grab your popcorn for 1kobo though and enjoy afterall the movie itself is free
The 16th indigenous Inspector General of Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar, has been working tirelessly to reposition the Police. But FRANCIS SUBERU reports that not manypolice men and women are complying with the new Code of Conduct issued one year ago.
A policeman boarding a motorcycle after its prohibition in Lagos. PHOTOS- OLUFEMI AJASA AND YINKA ADEPARUSI
Such untoward attitude have on many occasions denied them the much needed collaboration from members of the public who ordinarily would have assisted them with intelligence gathering that could lead to the arrest of criminals.
To this end, many concerned citizens heaved a sigh of relief when in 2012 the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar announced that he would be issuing a new code of conduct for the Nigeria Police Force.
The code which took effect on November 19, 2012 comprises set of rules guiding the behaviours of police officers on and off duty.
The code under its second rule specifically provides that: “The purpose of having a code of conduct is to provide all members of the Nigeria Police Force with a set of guiding principles and standards of behaviour while on or off duty. It is intended to be used by officers in determining what is right and proper in all their actions.”
According to the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba, the code comprises rules collated and formulated under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, for guiding and regulating the behaviours of police officers in Nigeria.
He said, “The Code contains standard policing rules as well as contemporary international best practices in law enforcement as available in various United Nations conventions, the Nigerian Constitution, Police Act and Regulations and other domestic statutes.
Police officials forcefully arresting a commercial driver at Idi-Iroko area of Ikorodu, recently.
“Its institution is therefore part of measures by the IGP to promote the Federal Government transformational agenda, through deliberate and conscious efforts at encouraging positive attitudinal change amongst all cadres of officers within the Force.”
The code under its heading and sub-headings encompasses the following: primary responsibilities of a police officer: performance of duties as a police officer, discretion, use of force, confidentiality, integrity, cooperation with other police officers and agencies, personal professional capabilities and private life.Under integrity for instance, the code provides that: “A police officer will not engage in acts of corruption or bribery, nor will an officer condone such acts by other police officers. The public demands that the integrity of police officers be above reproach.
“Police officers must therefore, avoid any conduct that might compromise integrity and that undercut the confidence reposed by the public, in the police. Officers will refuse to accept any gifts, presents, subscriptions, favours, gratuities or promises that could be interpreted as seeking to cause the officer to refrain from performing official responsibilities honestly and within the law.
“Police officers must not receive private or special advantage from their official status. Respect from the public cannot be bought; it can only be earned and cultivated.”
Similarly, under private life, the code provides that: “Police officers will behave in a manner that does not bring discredit to the Force or themselves. A police officer’s character and conduct while off duty must always be exemplary, thus maintaining a position of respect in the community in which he or she lives and serves. The officer’s personal behavior must be beyond reproach.”
However, one year on, critics have said the code has been largely been observed in the breach, sniggering that the Leopard cannot change its spot. The public are yet to find tangible change of attitude in private and public lives of a police personnel in the country.
Though the code is seen largely as ineffective, it is not lacking in implementation principles. The Code under implementation provides that:
• Effort shall be made to ensure that the principles embodied in this code are reflected in appropriate legislations guiding the Nigeria Police Force.
• The code shall be made applicable to all police officers regardless of their jurisdiction.
• Necessary measures will be emplaced to instruct, in basic training and subsequent training and refresher courses, police officers of all cadre, on the principles of the code and the implications of their violation.
• Principles of the code will be given the widest possible publicity and translated into the major national languages to enable public participation in the monitoring of police conduct across the country.
• Effective mechanism shall be established to ensure the internal discipline and external control as well as the supervision of police officers.
• Particular provisions shall be made, for the receipt and processing of complaints against police officers, made by the public and the result of the outcomes of such procedures will not be considered classified.
Everyone who spoke National Mirror in respect of police officers’ conducts said nothing has changed in their ways and attitude to work.
According to Mr. Ayotade Adewale, who claimed to have lived very close to police barrack at Ikeja for 10 years, the code has not changed anything and will probably not do much to improve the police behaviorally?
“With the present structure, the Nigeria Police can never change. I can tell you that the code has not changed anything, people are told everyday what they can do and how to go about it and what they cannot do but they still go and do those things.
“If you look at things critically, you will discover that nothing is absolutely new in the code and since nothing there is special, how do you think it will have effect. To me, nothing is being done today that has not been done in the past.”
Another commentator, Anthony Orji said, “The code cannot solve the problem because the problem of Nigeria Police Force is multifaceted. It is the problem of the entire society. People will continue to suffer from inadequate policing and poor quality service until the society decides to change.
“Our environment is corrupt; almost everybody is corrupt, so how possible can the police be different? Whatever behaviour they exhibit is a reflection of what is going on in the society because there is corruption everywhere in the country.”
Madam Fatimo Ajayi, who also lent her voice, blamed the country’s leaders for their insensitivities to the plight of the police.
She said, “Sometimes, it appears that we are expecting a miracle from the police. Police officers are not well catered for. They are neglected in their duty post with poor infrastructure and lack of equipment.
“On very many occasions, we see a situation whereby a junior police officer showed courage to arrest a culprit and refuse to compromise but after some contacts, the culprits are released because he or she is well connected.
“Will such courageous police officer exhibit such courage and discipline next time? Will he not willingly collect bribes the next time? That is why I keep saying the problem is the pervading corruption and depraved value system in the entire country.”
In the opinion of a security expert, the Managing Director of Halogen Security Limited, Mr. Olawale Olaoye, for any meaningful change to take place in the Nigeria Police Force, the entire establishment must be overhauled.
According to him, to change the police, we need to go back to the society and change our value system.
“You cannot do anything outside what the society has to offer. The police, the security personnel are all members of society. An officer of the law, someone meant to enforce the law, and his plight is not well catered for, his welfare neglected and even his work tool is inadequate. How do you expect such a person to be effective?
“He cannot say if I die in the line of duty, the force will take care of his family. This is personnel who will arrest someone and then see the person immediately released because he is well connected. So we have to think of who the security officers are in the first place.
“The population has grown but the quantity and the quality of the Force has been impeded. The quality of training is very poor. When the current Inspector General of Police was appointed, he said he was declaring a state of emergency on police training; nobody paid attention.
“We are fond of complaining all the time. But, have we ever thought of how these officers are recruited and trained? Policemen are called officers of the law because they are meant to enforce law and order but are we taking care of their welfare?
“What do you expect when police personnel officers are being owed arrears of salary? I do not know if anything has changed. Today, if an officer is killed in the line of duty, the family will not be paid any benefit. I am one of those advocating that the police should be well catered for.
“Presently, the police are in dire need of total overhaul in terms of who an officer of the law should be, in terms of recruitment and training and in terms of welfare. How can a police officer be competent if he is poorly trained and motivated?” Olaoye said.
