INSECURITIES IN NIGERIA: THIS TIME MUST PASS AWAY!
After our discourse, I reminisced about my personal lives, families and the country. The question on my mind were: 'is Nigeria worth dying for? Is there still hope for a son of nobody to become somebody in this country? Why is Nigeria not getting it right? Can the country still be saved? What hope lies for the children being born now?...And many more.
Like I said at Star FM two days ago where I was a guest discussant, Nigeria is not working for anyone. It's not working for the Orlu man from Imo State, nor the Itsekiri man from Edo, nor for Kanuri man from Kano, nor for the Ijesha man from Osun, nor for Igbira in Kogi. It's not working for the rich nor for the poor. We're all buying time before this dysfunctional nation collapse like a pack of cards.
An average Nigerian life is an endangered specie which can be cut off within a twinkle of an eye. I've a fair share of what an average Nigerian on the street faced daily two days ago. I was on my way from work, driving for over an hour on a journey that should not take me more than ten minutes at the most all thanks to poor city planning, development without human face, and 'I Don't Care Attitude' by community stakeholders and citizens.
On getting to Fagba Junction, I saw vehicles in disarrayed, everyone wants to go at the same time, while some traffic officers were making frantic effort to put motorists in check. So I brought out my phone to capture the moment and make a story about it, and also send it to relevant stakeholders who have the ears of the government on the need for flyover at that section of Iju Road.
I was about taking the second picture when a policeman started shouting from afar: Why are you taking pictures? Delete those pictures now? Delete those pictures now...as he charged towards me. As he moved closer to me, I tried to explain to him, but he was so furious and agressive that he wouldn't not listen to me. So I asked him, what is wrong with taking pictures? Is there anything in the law that says a citizen cannot take pictures of social happenings?
All of these questions fell on his deaf ears as he made attempt to collect my phone and smashed it. So I passed my phone to a colleague: Jide, while he continued his vituperation. Two other ladies police officers came and try to entreat me to delete the pictures. Initially, I thought of deleting the pictures, but the little law I know made me to question his rationale for asking me to delete the public pictures, besides this officer continuous insult and threat on my person and friend.
As at that time, it was the turn of our lane to move but my attempt to enter my car was rebuffed by this officer who was nearly beating me. So I asked him what does he wants, he said he was taken me to his Station. I opened the car for him so we can proceed to his station at least if not for anything to see for myself the relevant section of the law (Lagos State Traffic Law or the 1999 Constitution as amended) which prohibited public taking of pictures.
As we were going, this officer will not stop at his threat to the extent he slapped my friend Jide who was in the car with me. Fast forward, we got to his Station, and he continued his ranting such that every officers on duty came out. I made attempt to explain to some of them who was keen in knowing what what happened but he was just interjecting. So I stopped talking and wanted to know what his next line of action was.
Meanwhile, why I was driving to the station, I've informed my boss: Hon Dayo Fafunmi of what was happening who asked me to ask about the Station officer at that particular station but on getting there I've a second thought of doing so since the atmosphere there was that of es spirit de Corp and I don't know who was who.
First, I wanted to know what my offence was. And to my surprise, a superior officer who I won't want to mention his rank here came and said I should be charged for action likely to breach public peace and Jide for assault. I was practically laughing within me. An officer beckoned on me to come and write my statement to which I obliged. While I was about doing that, my boss called me and as I made attempt to pick my call, the officer collected my phone from me and made some uncomplimentary remarks but I was not perturbed. So I wrote the statement. After that, the officer made further attempt to interrogate me on all issues I've explained within the statement. Like obedience servant, I responded accordingly.
Jide was also called to write his own statement while I was asked to sit behind the counter. After he finished writing he came to meet me there and we started gisting. One of the officers at the duty who we've started talking said we better called someone who will come and bail us to which I smile.
As I sat down at the counter, someone I know came in solidarity with a pastor whose wife's was beating by a neighbor: an Igwe with staff of Office. He didn't see me initially, after I was sure they've resolved their own issue, I greeted him, and to which he was surprised to see me there. He asked several questions about why I was there and was a bit agitated to which I told him not to worry.
After that, I contacted my friend and lawyer Yinka, and told him what happened. He said his colleague was at the Station some minutes ago that he will detail her to come back. Meanwhile, why we were about writing the statement, the DPO asked me to come immediately after I'm done but the officer who took the statement said I should wait till the officer who instructed her to collect our statement comes. So in my mind, I wanted them to exhaust all their pranks before I start mine own madness because all these while my phone was collected from so I couldn't make contact to people.
Like twenty minutes waiting, the DPO came and started saying but he told me to come immediately after the statement. Because of your matter, they've called me from State command. Come and have my number, next time come straight to me. All the youths in this area are my friends. He instructed the officer to give back my documents and car key. You need to see how jittery how all the officers who were initially backing their colleague have become. So I told him thank you and left only to get to my car and discovered the tyres have been punctured.
'Omo', the lawyer my friend sent to me was with us then, she was angry, she asked we went back inside to see the DPO who we learnt was attending to some private issues. The lawyer in her came out as she was reprimanding the officers who must have done such wickedly act. I was the one who was calming her down at this time, which was quite unlike me. So I told her to let's go and look for vilganizer.
I'm sorry if I bored you with the details of the event, I've to so as to let you know how engangered we've become in this country. No where is safe. In the North East, young and old are being killed in thousands by Boko Haram. The North West States are ravaged by banditry. The North Central is encumbered by kidnapping. The South East is menaced by soldiers and ESN brutality. The South West and South South are home to Fulani herdsmen and farmer crisis asides crimes of armed robbery, cultism, among others.
Alongside this is oppression by men in the uniforms. One thing that came to my mind that day was what would have happened if I don't know people at the top? So I will just suffered for nothing with my friend. This life and this country no balance.
We cannot continue with this narrative, something drastic needs to happen, otherwise I see no hope for the future. Maybe, like Idris Kabasa, the right thing to say before then is: 'Eyin oyinbo, e fun mi ni Visa! How about you?
Sanmi Adekola is a Writer, Author, Entrepreneur, Social Commentator, and Policy Analyst.
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