Traveling is part of journalism profession. When a journalist travels, his report impact on the society and acquired knowledge and experiences are disseminated .
Such report on issues draw attention to both the public, leaders and the government with a view to correcting or improving on the situation. Many years past, in the early seventies, there was a notorious street in Lagos called “ Panti” (a Yoruba word which means “ rubbish”).
History explained that the street used to be a dumping ground for all manner of rubbish. Today, the street is wearing a new look and name. It has been renamed “ MkA Smith street.”
Before the renaming, the rubbish tendencies along the street, was also extended into the Police State Special Criminal investigation Department ( SCID).
Suspects dragged to the police investigation department were faced with corruption, injustice and gross wickedness. These vices were part of the identity cards of most police officer serving in the police department located in Panti, Yaba. The depth of corruption was second to no other department in the Nigeria Police. After their experiences in the hands of police men, the people gave the place an odious name and likened it as “Panti,” “rubbish”. The people believed that every investigation by police officers tantamount to “rubbish” or in the local parlance “ panti”.
The name over the years stuck to the department. The Lagos State Police Command investigation arm , known as State Criminal lnvestigation Department” Panti, Yaba , has been trying to delete the offensive “Panti” from its address. Before 2005, the environment was not only an embarrassment to the Nigeria Police but more to the Lagos state Police Command. At the time, they lacked good toilet, money was exchanged for justices. Criminals were celebrated and offered choice meals in the cells. Officers paid handsomely for posting to Panti as it was a fertile posting ground.
However change came when a fine gentleman officer, Mr Olayinka Balogun was posted to head the over rotten and corrupt infested Police department. His posting in 2005 saved the day especially the sinking image of the Nigeria Police.
His posting was akin to when the holy book recorded that the sins of the children of Israel had reached God in Heaven, so were the sins of the police men and women in Panti, Yaba was heard by the lnspector General. Mr Sunday Ehindero. Also like when God asked “ who will go for us” Ehindero had as his motto: “Policing with lntergrityy”
He searched for a credible officer with a good track record of integrity. He got the right man from Force headquarter annex, Kam Salem house in Obalende, Lagos where Mr Balogun was the officer -in-charge of Operations. Then a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Balogun posting was cheered and seen as a welcome development. To many, even if Ehindero failed as an lGP, it is believed that the only achievement was when the Holy Spirit used him to appoint Balogun, and after that, the spirit left him just like biblical King Saul. Those who knew Balogun , predicted that sanity was about to commence in Panti, Yaba.
Immediately his name was announced, there was a flood of officers seeking for reposting out of Panti, Yaba. His strategy worked as he carried out complete re-orientation of the officers and men, coupled with complete restructuring of the entire three storey Police building .
Before 2006 a drastic change had taken place, as visitors surprisingly met very cordial and friendly police investigators. Justice was earned on its face value and the dark clouds that hovered for long over the place suddenly evaporated. Sanity prevailed, Olayinka Balogun by that singular act, wrote his name in the annals of SCID Yaba.
He was then promoted as a Commissioner of police and when Sir Mike Okiro was appointed as the next lnspector General of Police, he ensured Balogun’s posting to Special Fraud Unit ( SFU) in Millverton, lkoyi, Lagos, with a matching order” Repeat what you achieved in SCID, Yaba, in SFU”. Meanwhile, SFU was already sinking in corruption like SCID, Yaba .
Again, the wonder officer moved in and reenacted his strategy and was able to transformed SFU to what it is today. Leadership is important. So important that the holy book says, “Anointing flows from the head.”
Last week, this writer visited SCID, Yaba and l was very impressed that the standard has continued to improve, though as it is in most establishments, there is always a “Judas” out of every twelve. From the gate, the lady police officer attending to visitors was amiable. l visited twelve out of the twenty two sections and visitors had very nice words about the officers handling their cases.
Of note is a report from a woman who narrated how one CSP Hussein Rasak showered milk of human kindness on her stranded brother by giving him transport money. Officers were proud of their job. Thier commitment to duty and the thoroughness exhibited are simply the result of good exemplary leadership in SCID .
For the first time, a lady is posted to head SCID, Yaba. Deputy Commissioner of Police , Mrs Yetunde Longe is among the new female Police officers around that are helping to restore the lost glory and dignity of the SCID, Yaba. Lady officers like Mrs Longe are inspiration to younger girls aspiring to be enlisted into the Police.
As l step out of the Police building, my fate in the Nigeria Police was reawakened and rekindled with the believe that lagos State Police command would sooner or later have a gallant female police officer as its commissioner and also as inspector General of Police. Record shows that not up to six female police officers had risen to the enviable rank of Deputy lnspector General of Police not to mention the political appointment of lGP.
Female officers like Mrs Cecilia Ugowe, Abimbola Ojomo, Chintua Amajor-Onu , Mrs Adebanjo, Mrs lvy Okoronkwo and Mrs Peace Hamdallah lbekwe.
These women police officers were lionesses in uniform and many are asking why are there shortage of top women police officers in the Police. Same with other security agencies, except the lmmigrstion Service and Economic and Financial Crime Commission ( EFCC) where Mrs. Rose Uzoma and Mrs Farida Waziri respectively, were appointed to head these agencies. These days that women have exhibited zeal, patriotism and integrity, such political appointments should be extended to the women folks in uniform.