By Steve Obum Orajiaku
In the Nigerian public sector, the word “investigate”, has long lost its weight and proper value owing to the lackadaisical manner in which those who are supposed to effect its true essence abuse and trample on it. It is now virtually tantamount to an abdication of duty or an attempt to sweep things under the carpet whenever an investigating police officer says: ‘we will investigate the matter’, ‘we shall look into it’ or ‘the case is under investigation’.
Very few are the cases that are said to be undergoing investigation that have conclusive results that are communicated to the parties involved. Yet, there are myriads of past and ongoing cases piled up on shelves and in lockers at various police stations across the federation.
It is no wonder, then, that we find “alleged suspects” wallowing in our various police cells over unsubstantiated allegations for indefinite periods. This is without prejudice to the fact that few cases are properly investigated and brought to a logical conclusion.
It is not clear if there are periodic visits to police stations by senior police officials to monitor and ask questions on the offences allegedly committed by the suspects who are kept there. Proper investigation should be conducted, with the necessary facilities and by the right quality of officers. There should be no proclivity for impartiality. Instead, policemen with unquestionable integrity, those who adhere strictly to governing laws and are ready to promote justice should handle these investigations. There should also be advanced technological facilities and citizens’ databases to make the investigations easier.
Where these and similar amenities abound, purposeful and conclusive investigations will be easier to achieve. Most unfortunately, many of these constructive investigative pillars are unavailable in our country. Similarly, a large portion of the blame for the dearth of effectual investigation component should not be dumped at the doorpost of Nigeria Police. The executive arm of the Nigerian government has the inalienable responsibility to provide the things that can enhance the performance of the Nigeria Police Force.
In other climes, the activities of police officers place them in high esteem. They are well respected by the people. Until the Nigeria Police Force begins to effect some changes in its stereotypical crime fighting and conflict resolution, the status quo may have to linger for a long while.
Why is it part of police training to perceive people at first glance as crooks, villains and or suspects? Consequent upon this, it then behooves the alleged suspects to prove themselves otherwise. This ought not to be so. Even a suspect is presumed innocent until proven otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction.
In other places, suspected and alleged rapists, robbers, thieves, insurrectionists, etc usually find temporal solace in the custody of the police command, until their charges are duly established. In a way, due to the kindness and care extended to the suspects (which may be alien to them), they are often inclined to cooperate with the investigative officers. Contrary to the argument of some parochial police officers, even the hardest of rocks wear off gradually at the steady outpouring of water for a period.
Even so, the most incorrigible and unrepentant criminal can be reformed or softened when he receives affection, love and care. Constraint of space will not permit a mention of such cases, but one recent and striking instance occurred in Abia State. It is said to be a case of a missing car. That may look so but a critical consideration of the matter will rather reveal or present it to be one of intimidation and muzzling of the less privileged. The owner of the missing vehicle is said to be a top political official of the state government or somebody related to him. The owner of the missing car was asked whether the newly purchased car was automatic or had manual gear system on the same day he celebrated his purchase with his cheering friends.
A couple of days later, the vehicle disappeared from where it was parked in his house. Hearing that fingers were pointing in his direction, the said suspect, of his own volition, went to make a report at the nearest police station. That day marked the beginning of a seven- day (as at the time of writing this article) ordeal in the miserable police station cell as he was held on the instruction of the owner of the missing car. The pertinent questions following allegations leveled against him by the same police to whom he ran for clearance include: When did ‘smart’ thieves (if he ever was one) start to foolishly request for information from their targets?
If his only offence was to ask the gear type of the car, where are the others who evidently could have, in the spirit of celebration, asked similar questions? Is there any evidence incriminating the suspect? Is it not true that a particular political despot is found to be weirdly delighted to browbeat and muzzle the less privileged? Is this case a bailable one, and if yes, why is the hapless suspect still in the disease-infested police cell, against the law of the land? When these posers are satisfactorily addressed, maybe one can begin to find out why some primordial practices are still rife in some states in Nigeria. Let the police improve the quality of their investigations to ensure justice for ordinary Nigerians.
Orajiaku writes via [email protected]