Whistle Blowers in Police Force Speak Out on #EndSars By Kayode Ogundamisi

 

So a Compatriot who is serving in the Nigerian Police got in touch with me. The officer requested that the publication of the following, this was after a 30 minutes plus conversation. 

For safety I will keep the name of the Police Officer out. Hoping Nigerian President and the Police can take note and verify independently.

The extortion of members of the public including #SARS is not with the Police personnel on the road, it is institutional. He claims Police Commissioner’s embezzles security vote meant for the upkeep of operational officers.

Police divisions are meant to get welfare funds but it never trickles down to low ranking officers who now buy their own uniform, fuel car from funds extorted from public.

Every Police operational team on checkpoints, raids makes a targeted KPI weekly monetary return to their commanders, DPO’s and HOD’s who in turn makes return to the CP of the State or the CP in-charge of the unit. These CP’s makes return to IGP. The PMF is not exempted.

The posting of Squadron Commanders is not by merit. They all make returns monthly by deducting money meant for their boys on special duties (Security covers for Celebrities, rich individuals, escorting night bus for transport companies, securing social party, banks and others).

He Advised the Nigerian government to immediately ban Police officers from operational “stop any arrest” based on expiration of driving or vehicle license as it is a money making scheme. The VIO or FRSC should focus on this and transfer cases to Police if need be.

Police is highly commercialised from top to bottom, funds budgeted do not go to the rank and file, police equipment are meant to be repaired but long abandoned and they get votes every year, officers simply look for funds outside of the force to survive and live.

“I have a Phd and head a Police Tactical unit, myself and my unit work with pains and bitterness because they work under pressure to give returns to those above and nothing for them. I can not stop the boys so I lecture part time to make up for my upkeep. The rot is huge”

“They should probe training funds, they should ask why Police officers have to bribe to go on study leave. If you do not have a godfather you can not go on essential trainings, when you go, you pay back part of your allowance to the admin team in the office”

Nigerian Police get international supports for training officers, when the slot comes, you never hear anything, all international courses are shielded in secrecy and you only see privileged people go, office based staff are sent for tactical command weapons training abroad.

The problem of Nigerian Police is not just about fund, it is about accountability, a wholistic probe into the existing funds and then reform.

An average constable drives an expensive car when a DSP who chose to be honest walks on foot, the moral is low within the service.

High Returning Divisions:

There is a division in Abia State called Ndiegoro Divisional Police Station and Eziama Divisional Police Station. Personnel of these stations just like SARS situated at Aba North LGA goes around on mini buses (Suzuki Every) with POS machines.

Every young guy on dread or rugged Jeans is a fraudster or suspected kidnapper. A certain ‘Bishop’ and a Police man called ‘Malaysia’ in Eziama division takes people at gunpoint to ATM and push them out of vehicles late at night. These bad officers can be located by Nigerian Police Force.

Anyone entering Aba late night is at risk. These men have been reported on many occasions but only asked to refund the money and nothing happens. The reason they are invincible is because senior Police officers get returns. To stop the rot, start from the head.

Ohuru-Isimiri Division in OBINGWA LGA is a nightmare to tricycle and motorcycles riders. You can visit to ask members of the public about all these stations in Aba. What happens in Aba is replicated across the other Police divisions across the country.

The public are also part of the problem of Police officers when officers do gallant jobs, we are seen as just doing our job, even when we lose officers. Nigerians have made up their mind that we are all corrupt so even those who want to be honest ask why should they bother.

The public must fight for Police officers, do you know we ration ammunitions and guns, the weapons we use against robbers with automatic weapons are outdates, when did anyone offer to visit a Police Station or barrackz to see how we live.

If #EndsSARS or #EndPoliceBrutality is to be successful, the reform must include speaking with officers who do the dirty work, right now everyone is having a conversation about us but no one is talking to us. Police are Nigerians too, we have to build trust with ourselves.

Those talking about Police officers on the streets should check how much a sergeant is paid, not to talk of a constable, you can not pay an officer 59 Thousand Naira a month, he buys uniform from it, transport and feed family and you expect the best from him.

The number of Police officers is very small, even if you reform, the number we have can not deliver the kind of magic Nigerians want the police to give. The people should not be anti police but separate the bad from the good.

I am telling you that the Police officers adopted by some States who pay them extra are doing very well, crime is low and they are dedicated.

Nigeria should withdraw Police on ‘special duties’ with VIP and those with money and influence.

The Abayi Divisional Police officer recently assaulted a lady sexually and detained her for stealing his money. Let the CP investigate him. Let all SARS personnel be sent back to Police Colleges and Training Schools.

Part 2 of Threat:

As Young Nigerians continue to lead #EndSars #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeria yesterday, a Police Officer opened up about his experience. I have since had conversations with 3 other officers.*Statements not independently verified.

Key points here:

I will call this particular Police Whistle-blower Officer A. He’s based in one of the South West State, ranked as a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).

“This ( #EndSARS ) protest is the best thing that has happened to the force, tell them to take inventory of custody files”

“We write the name of suspect on ledger, if your DPO is corrupt, you will have 2 custody ledger, one is for official, the other one is for suspect that will roga (bribe) and then they will be released, so it is like they never came to station”

“Tell them to Probe STS and IRT under Police Force Headquarters, if they are serious, let EFCC check bank accounts of officers from IG, AIG, CP, DIG to even Sergeant, any Policeman with balance of N5Million is a thief, they can start now.”

“People should visit Police College Ikeja, or go to any training school in Nigeria, no way you can produce good officers from those places. I hear the IG praising the Tactical College Ila~Orogun on the way to Oke ile, is he joking? The place is a disgrace”

“You put Police with their family in poultry and call it barracks, even to get 1 room in Police barracks you have to bribe, if you rent in town, you will hide yourself from criminals and your neighbours see you as one of the bad Police, the problem is big”

“Let me tell you, when I joined Police, we had fuel dumps, where Police operational vehicles will collect fuel daily and it is full up tank, when you come back from patrol, you record mileage and refill, now no fuel dump, you have to look for money yourself”

“When I joined Police, we had tailoring department, we had mechanics, they sow the uniform, they repair Police vehicles, now everything is to contractors, they should probe why Police can not keep subsidiary services, is it not civilians that take Police contract?”

“I have Safer highway personnel attached to me they need over 80K periodically, service tyre themselves, change engine oil, service van, where do you think they will get the money from when the official money is not coming in?

“Regular Police officer, your course mate posted to EFCC or as ADC or orderly to Politician or to Celebrity will buy land and build house in front of you, so everybody is lobbying to leave fighting crime, if they are serious, send everybody back to beat”

“Armed robbers and criminals are afraid of #SARS, wait till November and December if we don’t have something to replace them, criminals will strike, Police cannot do without a strong tactical team but SARS has turned on innocent people, that is the problem”

Even in Police, other officers fear #SARS. They have become a cult within Police, a lot of officers are celebrating but we know we need a tactical team. Government can probe the officers, sack the bad one, create a new discipline outfit”

“If they round up all the SARS officers, look at their bank account, interrogate them on what they have done, what they know about killings, separate them from the command, some will confess.”

“Do you know civilians with money approach Police to exchange family members who have committed a crime with innocent people? The person making the proposal and the Police are all guilty, that is why I am now happy the young people are fighting for us”

#end SARS