“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. “….2 Timothy 3:1
On August 13, 2020, this column asked a pertinent question with the title : “Perilous times around?” However from every indication, especially from the religious, economic and political points of view, indeed, that time is here with us.
As the country Is plunged into prolonged economic recession and grappling to survive economically, political upheaval and vicious criminality had triggered insecurity around the country.
Many security agencies are virtually overwhelmed.
Heinous incidents no longer pinch our conscience, like reported pregnant woman who ate the roasted flesh of a slain police officer like a cannibal, nor are we pricked to hear about hoodlum’s that chopped off the head of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO).
More so, kidnapping is on the increase with security personnels being no exception.
Many unheard cases that would have shaken us to our marrow, have suddenly turned into cracking joke and laughter. Our human feelings seems dead.
The question: “Is this the perilous times? When exactly did the holy scripture predicted is the time ?”
With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, that is ravaging and changing the world economic and political system, the believe of perilous times, is strong.
According to Webster dictionary, perilous “means full of danger or risk or exposed to imminent risk of disaster or ruin” .
Is this therefore the anticipated perilous time? When the pandemic is claiming hundreds of thousands of human lives from every country around the world. A time when mankind are deprived of essentials of life, a time when insecurity has threatened and overstretched the resolve of security agencies across the world.
Indeed these are perilous times. Period of uncertainty. People die in their hundreds and thousands around the world, decreasing the population. There is palpable fear around every corner. The Coronavirus has held sway as the only thing that must be feared apart from the creator. Millions have had their means of livelihood ruined and closed down. Every sector in the world have been deeply affected. Governments look bereft of ideas and they are challenged by their exposed and intellectually informed youths. People now go begging like never before. Poverty pervades both the rural and urban communities like never before despite being classified as one of the poorest countries in the world.
These are perilous times. Job cut, companies closing down and health related issues on the increase. Yes, this is perilous times.
A time when citizens question
their political leaders and security
activities in their country
not withstanding the repercussion
nor the fall-out of their actions.
It was unimaginable in the early fifties to hear that a young girl or boy would allow himself to be wrapped with device as suicide bomber that would blow him or her into pieces, just because of ideological sermon.
The situation has deteriorated to the extent that people forcefully abduct their neighbors and innocent travelers for ransom.
The situation has gradually snowballed into a hellish state of living where man’s inhumanity to man is more preferred. Where men are no longer trusted with public money. Corruption rearing its ugly head in every government institutions. Where parents pay for external students to seat for their wards in an examination. It has worsened to the level where security agents fabricate allegations just to rope in others for prosecution. Inflation is noticeable everywhere. Truely, the days are evil. When evil thrive in communities, it exposes the failure of government to provide for the people.
Citing the needless and merciless killings in the northern part of Nigeria .
These four factors, economy, politics, ethnicity and religion have throughout ages been the bane of every mans problems. Today, the Chinese pandemic has further thrown up the belief and has further complicated everything in life. Further drawing the world attention to the bare truth that indeed, these are perilous times.
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Sins of SARS (3)
Like I have said Government factor encouraged unprofessionalism in the force but the greed, poor attitude and value system in individual Police officer recruited from 80s to present day have elevated CORRUPTION in the Nigeria Police to an unacceptable level.
The most shameful aspect is that some educated officers are the most corrupt. They coerce and intimidate the junior officers to render monetary returns to them, if they are posted to “juicy post”.
In state Commands some Commissioners of Police since many years ago post DPOs and DCOs to so called, Juicy post on payment and a fixed amount will be sent to retain such juicy post to the Commissioner of Police monthly. DPOs in turn will source for money to send returns to CP by coercing men posted to crime section, road blocks, Patrol duties to render monetary returns on daily or monthly basis. Police men on road block duty, block highways with logs of woods particularly on express ways to enable them stop motor cycles and vehicles to extort money from drivers. They demand for receipts of plate numbers, tinted permit etc. The most greedy ones ask for receipts from passengers found with valuable property while in transit. They collect phones from young passengers in transit, check the messages in the phone of young men in the vehicles and if a huge amount is found in the persons account, they will tag him a Yahoo boy. It is not only SARS team that are involved in this unprofessional conduct. Majority of the men from Police stations, Area Command, Anti-Cult, state Bops, Zonal headquarters Bops, Anti-terrorist, PMF(Mopol) Anti pipeline Vandalization, Voluntary service (off duty men that set up unapproved road blocks) are deeply involved in this unprofessional conduct while on patrol or static beats on the roads. Military and other security services also torment innocent Nigerians with impunity. Roads regularly where illegal roadblocks thrives includes: Onitsha- Benin, Ore-Lagos, Onitsha- Owerri- PH, Obolloafor in Enugu and Makurdi. They all have their area of concentration in order to extort money while on the highway; Police officer (anything) Military men (trailers conveying goods) Customs (imported goods and vehicles), Road safety (Vehicle Particulars), Civil Defence (Petrol Tankers). Produce Inspectors and revenue collector have also joined in the rat race of extortion from motorist on the highway.
They are not visited by their superiors while on duty for purposes of supervision to ensure they are professional in their conduct. Let’s hope that one day motorist and members of the public will not go on end extortion Protest by Police, Military and other services on our streets and highways.
I will not fail to state that in the Police force some amount of money received through this unprofessional conduct are committed to some official activities which the Government has not provided fund. But it should not be encouraged. It is one of the unprofessional conduct on members of the force that have immensely tarnished the image of the Nigeria Police.
The maladministration in the force with regards to promotion started in 1983 when quota system was the first criteria for promotion instead of seniority and merit. In most cases officers with the same date of enlistment were promoted three ranks above their mates. There were instances junior officers were promoted above his senior in the same section or department just because of his state of origin. Quota system of Promotion in the force was obnoxious and discriminatory contrary to the constitution. About 2005 , the new Chairman of Police service Commission discarded quota system of Promotion, but nepotism, favoritism and bribery became the order of the day.