I was at the bus stop waiting to take a cab to ikeja when I observed some policemen giving a commercial motorcyclist a hot pursuit. The first thought that came to my mind was that the commercial motorcyclist was trying to elude from a scene of crime or something more dangerous, considering the manner he was driving dangerously to elope the fierce looking policemen.
However, my expectations were caught short when I later discovered that the innocent commercial motorcyclist was running at the expense of his life just to avoid his motorcycle being confiscated by the chasing policemen. I pondered on the scene over and over again in my head and could not just comprehend why an innocent hustler who is not so glad of driving a motorcycle for a living would be victimised even when he is not plying the express road where they were banned from.
It was gathered that policemen attached to Gowon Estate police station as well as those in Alagolo Police station have become businessmen by exploiting the very innocent citizens they swore to protect their lives and properties. Alagolo police station is situated in Baruwa/Ayobo axis of Alimosho local government area of Lagos State, while Gowon Estate police station is situated close to Iyana-Ipaja.
In a reaction to the aforementioned incidence and out of curiosity, I decided to embark on an impromptu visit to Gowon Estate police station to find out why some policemen act crazy in the discharge of their duties. Upon arriving at the station, I observed that there were several local shops around it. I walked into one of them and ordered a bottle of “Origin”, sat down to feed my eyes with the happenings in the local bar, as I saw the owner busy frying meat.
Meanwhile, at the local bar, I met about six policemen enjoying themselves with cheap liquor ie local gin popularly known as “Ogogoro”. The policemen kept ordering for shots upon shots with different brands of cigarettes accompanying the gin, which they called “Jedi Jedi”. These policemen in less than 45 minutes have consumed almost all the drink in the can she was selling from. They were talking out loud over unreasonable issues, while I kept watching with intense caution in order not to get caught, because in this our clime, the Freedom Of Information Act (FOI Act) seems not to be effective enough to protect journalists, as we have heard several stories of newsmen being assaulted by security personnel.
However, while the enjoyment continued, one of the policemen was radioed on his walkie, he got up dragging himself to regain balance, and eventually went into the station, while the others continued drinking themselves out. Not quite long he came back saying; “Oga say make we dispatch”. It was an unbelievable reality when I saw the one that seems to be worse drunk jolted up saying; “Yes it is time for action, let’s go there”.
I was still perplexed when the six drunks given badges, guns and a hilux van dashed out of the liquor store and mounted the van and drove off to endanger the lives of innocent citizens. I could vividly remember that one Kazeem Sheu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police attached to the Ajagba Divisional Police Station, on February 2, 2013, reportedly shot a junior police officer, Inspector Adelakun Lawal during an argument that ensued between them in a beer parlour.
I became convinced that the attitude some policemen display, was not a product of the training they obtained from the police college but rather, that of self-destruct. I know for a fact that a policeman is not supposed to take alcohol while on duty but the reverse has become the case with Nigerian
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