THAT THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE IS CONSTRAINED BY NUMEROUS CHALLENGES RANGING FROM POOR WELFARE TO INSUFFICIENT EQUIPMENT IS AN ESTABLISHED TRUISM IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
BUT ONE OF THE MOST AWFUL AND WORRISOME OF THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE PREDICAMENTS IS THE INDISCRIMINATE AND ILLEGAL SALES OF UNIFORMS AND KITS OF ITS PERSONNELS AT VARIOUS POLICE COMMANDS, OPEN MARKETS AND ODD PLACES.
THESE ILLEGAL SALES OF POLICE UNIFORM IS PREVALENT IN ALMOST STATE CAPITALS OF THE FEDERATION INCLUDING THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA, WHERE THE SELLERS OF THE UNIFORM ARE NOT BOTHERED ABOUT THE IDENTITY AND PROFILE OF THEIR PROSPECTIVE BUYERS.
NOTHING COULD BE MORE DEADLIER TO A NATION’S SECURITY SYSTEM THAN ILLEGAL AND INDISRIMINATE CIRCULATION OF UNIFORM AND KITS OF ITS SECURITY PERSONNEL AS BEING EXEMPLFIED IN THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE.
THIS CRIMINAL VENTURE, IF PERSIST UNCHECKED, WOULD UNDOUBTELY SERVE AS A RECIPE FOR ENDLESS CRIMINALITY AND INSECURITY, ESPECIALLY AT THIS PRECARIOUS MOMENT OF NIGERIA’S SECURITY CHALLENGES.
THIS UGLY TREND HAS OBVIOUSLY PROVIDED CRIMINALLY MINDED PEOPLE THE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO INFILTRATE THE RANK AND FILE OF THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE WITH THE PRIMARY AIM OF UNLEASHING CRIMINALITY AND INSECURITY ON INNOCENT NIGERIANS AND NIGERIA AS A CORPORATE ENTITY
INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED HOW NIGERIAN POLICE OFFICERS ARE BEING FORCED TO BUY UNIFORMS AND KITS INCLUDING THEIR RANK INSIGNIA AND HANDCUFFS OUT OF THEIR OWN SALARIES.
THE SITUATION IS FURTHER COMPLICATED BY THE FACT THAT THESE ILLEGAL AND CRIMINAL SALES OF POLICE UNIFORM AND KITS ARE NOT RESTRICTED TO OFFICIAL POLICE SALES OUTLETS. THEY CAN EASILY BE FOUND ON SALE IN ORDINARY MARKETS AND OTHER ODD PLACES.
IN ABUJA, THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, FOR INSTANCE, POLICE UNIFORMS ARE BEING SOLD OPENLY FEW METRES AWAY FROM THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE FCT POLICE COMMAND.
IN GOMBE STATE, THE KITS CAN BE PURCHASED AT A SALES OUTLET WITHIN THE PREMISES OF THE AREA COMMAND OPPOSITE GOVERNMENT PILOT SECONDARY SCHOOL.
IN BAUCHI STATE ZONE 12 HEADQUARTERS, THE YANDOKA POLICE HEADQUARTERS AND THE TRAINING SCHOOL YELWA ARE THE MAIN SALES OUTLETS.
KANO STATE POLICE COMMAND IS THE MAIN SALES OUTLET FOR INDIVIDUAL POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE THE CAPITAL TO ENGAGE IN THE BUSINESS.
SOURCES INFORMED THAT THE TAILORS EMPLOYED BY THE POLICE ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DEMAND FOR UNIFORMS BY TRAVELLING TO THE CENTRAL POLICE STORES IN LAGOS AND ABUJA TO BUY KITS THAT WILL BE LATER SOLD TO THEIR COLLEAGUES IN THEIR VARIOUS DUTY POSTS.
OUR INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT IN EIGHT YEARS THE POLICE HAD BUDGETED N9.88 BILLION FOR UNIFORMS AND KITS WHICH WAS IN TANDEM WITH THE BUDGETS ON THE WEBSITE OF THE BUDGET OFFICE OF THE FEDERATION.
BUT, DESPITE THE BUDGETARY PROVISIONS, POLICEMEN, WHO SPOKE ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO THE PRESS, REVEALED THAT THERE WAS LITTLE OR NOTHING TO SHOW FOR THE POLICE BUDGET ON UNIFORM AND OTHER KITS.
NOW THE BIG QUESTION IS; WHO IS IN CHARGE OF NIGERIA POLICE UNIFORM.?
ISIAKA MUSTAPHA, CEO/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, PEOPLE’S SECURITY MONITOR ON ABUJA CLASSY RADIO LOVE FM 104.5 ON FRIDAY