A recent report by a national daily newspaper indicating that no fewer than 229 police officers were killed in Nigeria between January 2023 and October 2024 is heart-rending. According to the report, 118 officers were killed in 2023 and 111 personnel were killed within 10 months in 2024. Bandits, hoodlums, gunmen, Boko Haram terrorists, cultists and armed robbers were involved in the killings across the country. In some cases, mobs were the ones who reportedly killed the officers. A typical example was the recent killing of ASP Augustine Osupayi of the Lagos Police Command, lynched in Agege area of the state in October 2024, for trying to prevent execution of jungle justice.
No zone is spared this orgy of killings. In October this year, for instance, some unidentified gunmen killed two police operatives at Uruagu, a community in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The gunmen reportedly launched a surprise attack on the police officers who were on investigation duties. They threw an improvised explosive device into the operational vehicle of the police, resulting in the instant death of the two officers. The police vehicle was also engulfed in flames.
Similarly, in August 2024, two police officers were reportedly killed and three others left unconscious after an alleged attack by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria in Abuja. The attackers allegedly used knives and explosives in what the police described as unprovoked attack at a checkpoint which also led to the burning of police vans.
In 2020, scores of policemen were killed amid protests against police brutality that rocked the country. Tagged #EndSARS protests, it was a spontaneous reaction against the harassment and killing of innocent citizens in some parts of the country by the now defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the police.
The EndSARS protests significantly weakened the police as an institution. The protests led to the killing of over 60 policemen and burning of over 200 police stations. It was such that when gunmen started attacking the security operatives in the South-East, they could not respond effectively.
The year 2021 was particularly very hot for the security agents. That year, the so-called unknown gunmen attacked many police stations in the South-East, killed scores of policemen and burnt some of their stations and operational vehicles. In Imo State, the gunmen attacked police stations in Umulowo, Isiala Mbano, Ihitte Uboma, among others. They killed some police operatives and burnt down their stations. In Abia State, the gunmen attacked and killed officers at such places as Abiriba in Ohafia Local Government Area (LGA), Omoba in Isialangwa South and Abayi in Osisioma. In Anambra, there were attacks and killing of policemen in such places as Nkpologwu in Aguata LGA, Omogho in Orumba North LGA, Neni in Anaocha LGA and Ekwulobia in Aguata LGA. These killings have also taken place in such states as Benue, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Kebbi, Nasarawa and Niger States.
It is unfortunate that the Police who are meant to protect the citizens have turned out to be more in need of protection. Over the years, they have incurred the wrath and hatred of the citizens through some of their unpopular actions like extra-judicial killings and wanton extortion of motorists on the road.
The bad eggs among the police worsen the situation. They provide criminals with information about security movement which jeopardize the efforts of their colleagues. Consequently, many of them get ambushed and killed during exchange of gunfire. It is not a secret that most criminals have more superior firepower than the police.
Nigeria as a whole suffers from this problem. It is only in a lawless society that law enforcement agents are killed at random and no one appears to be alarmed about it. At less than 400,000 personnel, the numerical strength of the Nigeria police is low and below the United Nations recommendation of 1:400 police-to-person ratio. With the killings, the number is further reduced. It calls for urgent intervention.
The Federal Government should, as a matter of urgency, provide adequate modern weapons and sophisticated policing equipment to the police to enable them to carry out their duties effectively. The police should also show more seriousness in intelligence gathering and sharing with sister security agencies. The bad eggs among them who share information about their movements to bandits should be fished out and summarily dealt with.
The recent dismissal of 18 police officers and demotion of 19 others by the Police Service Commission (PSC) is a step in the right direction. Police authorities should be mindful of their recruitment processes. This is with a view to ensuring that criminals are not recruited into the force.