…Blame corruption, flaws in recruitment process
Concerned over the rising incidences of extortion involving personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, some stakeholders have tasked the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to as a matter of urgency, quickly address the ugly and unacceptable practice as well as address the flaws in the recruitment process.
The call for the top police hierarchy to take urgent action follows a recent investigative report in Kwara state published with support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), that exposed how several youths, motorcycle riders, and corps members face extortion daily.
Participants at an anti-corruption radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG, on Wednesday in Abuja, who particularly raised alarm against police extortion, noted that the incidences are becoming worrisome.
In his comment, a Security expert and public good advocate, Prince Kevin Fyneface, noted that the problem of police extortion is an age-long issue rooted in systemic corruption, including flawed recruitment processes, nepotism, and poor welfare packages for the personnel.
Fyneface advised the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Government to first get it right with the recruitment and welfare of officers, adding that systems must be set up to profile people who are to be recruited into the force without prejudice and nepotism.
He said; “The Police Service Commission responsible for recruitment gets to the right people at the right time. Let’s get away with this slot allocation that we give for recruitment and allow for merit-based recruitment to take place across the board. Remuneration should be reconsidered. Security officers and men should earn as much as politicians are earning”.
Fyneface noted that the reason police extortion continues to thrive is because the “people are not empowered to fight for their rights; the justice system difficult to access in terms of getting timely justice and a lot of citizens unaware of where to report cases of extortion and harassment.
“We have a major problem when it comes to the recruitment process of policemen and women in Nigeria. Take your time and go through the recruitment process of police and major security agencies, and then you’ll understand why we have a dearth of morality and integrity.
“Job recruitments are advertised online, but you also know you have to pay money before you get into service. Recruits are extorted right from the gate at police training camps. Someone who has sorted his or her way through will naturally have to recoup his money.
“There is a cobweb system that runs this country. Somebody is connected to somebody who is connected to someone high up there. When disciplinary action needs to be taken on an erring officer, someone will call from one headquarters to stop that disciplinary action.
“We cannot say all of them (police officers) are the same. There are some very good ones out there,” Fyneface explained.
On his part, investigative journalist Ridwan Odofin called on IGP Egbetokun to go all out against officers extorting people in Kwara state and elsewhere in the country.
Odofin stressed the need for regular training of personnel on ethics, human rights and community policing that are essential to preventing police extortion and promoting a culture of respect.
His words: “The extortion of youths in Kwara state is a representation of what is happening across the country and a sign of failure of the justice system. The tales of the bitter experience of people in the hands of rogue police officers are much.
“Sadly, some of these officers are perpetrating extortion and feel that they cannot be sanctioned. I think ignorance is taking over the situation, and I agree that there is a serious link between poor welfare of an average police officer and extortion of citizens,” Odofin said.
Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs who called into the radio programme shared their experiences with police extortion and harassment at different times and locations across the country. Here are some of their ordeals:
Mayo from Airport Road said: “In terms of extortion, I had an issue one time where the person I gave work to ran with my money, so I went to the police station. You need to pay. They will ask for a mobilization fee to go with you even though you’re driving them. Another one is this regular checkpoint because I stay at Apo. You see long queues and nothing is happening there.
Adebayo from Gwarimpa: “The extortion is always happening. Within Abuja, they are cautious, but when you go to the outskirts like Gwagwalada and Zuba, they keep you stranded. You’ll have to give them something, and they will tell you they are reporting to someone.
The Lagos State Police Command has said that it has begun the trial of four police officers accused of extorting N1 million from three members of the National Youth Service Corps in the Surulere area of the state.
