MaziOmenuko: Why do our police men walk around with assault rifles?

In most advanced countries, you hardly see policemen with assault rifles walking around the streets. They have their pistols inside a holster and only bring it out when its needed. You only see them with assault rifles (AK 47, etc) in times of emergency like riots, robbery, siege etc.

Here in Nigeria, you see our police walking into public transport, beer palour and shekpe joints with fully loaded ak47 rifles. It seems ak 47 is the default primary weapon for the police. Gone are the days when police men walk the streets with just a barton. Invite them for as security in a social program such as wedding, child-dedication or even a kid's birthday party and you see them with that annoying long gun on full display!

I think the government should do something about this. We hear cases of trigger happy policemen shooting innocent victims and claiming accidental discharge. If they are made to carry pistols alone, there won't be such incidences as it will require the policeman to bring the gun out from its holster, remove it from safety before shooting. Such scenarios will never be termed 'Accidental' discharge but first degree murder.

The pix below is for clarity sake. It explains a lot why the popular NPF acronym has been turned to a popular saying: Not People's Friend

MaziOmenuko: . •

phlemzy: when will npf change dis uniform?

ichidodo: A sheer apparent lack of sophistication and just plain cluelessness at the security risk they pose themselves and to the public as a martial arts expert what is stopping me from reverse twisting their rifle hand simultaneously delivering a hammer fist knockout blow to the temple before making away with one of the most powerful shooter (rifle) in the world??...They should count themselves lucky that Nigerians are predominantly peaceful people.Make dem go Jamaica go try that nonsense....

electropiz:

cluelessness a word used by every tom, dick n harry in GEJs administration even when its not appropriate. This is Nigeria and not America, remember that in America initially police dont use assault rifle something led to that.

banega: You have a point •

MaziOmenuko: Why do our police men walk around with assault rifles?

In most advanced countries, you hardly see policemen with assault rifles walking around the streets. They have their pistols inside a holster and only bring it out when its needed. You only see them with assault rifles (AK 47, etc) in times of emergency like riots, robbery, siege etc.

Here in Nigeria, you see our police walking into public transport, beer palour and shekpe joints with fully loaded ak47 rifles. It seems ak 47 is the default primary weapon for the police. Gone are the days when police men walk the streets with just a barton. Invite them for as security in a social program such as wedding, child-dedication or even a kid's birthday party and you see them with that annoying long gun on full display!

I think the government should do something about this. We hear cases of trigger happy policemen shooting innocent victims and claiming accidental discharge. If they are made to carry pistols alone, there won't be such incidences as it will require the policeman to bring the gun out from its holster, remove it from safety before shooting. Such scenarios will never be termed 'Accidental' discharge but first degree murder.

The pix below is for clarity sake. It explains a lot why the popular NPF acronym has been turned to a popular saying: Not People's Friend

Jovie:

Yep. He does. And dat gun dey fear me sometimes, esp when i get in a car wt a policeman holding it flat on his lap wt d nozzle pointing towards me....

imotal: People, what are we saying? First of all, America is organised in such a way that if the normal police who handle investigations and low level police work including patrol (with the pistols) cannot control a situation, the SWAT is called in(the heat these guys pack, you'll think they are fighting a war). In Nigeria, we do not have such major divisions. A typical Nigerian police can be on patrol today and tomorrow be assigned to the antibomb squad. Due to the scarcity of weapons,and added to the fact that the ak47 is an efficient weapon both in terms of accuracy and firepower(it carries 32 rounds per clip), it serves a very efficient role and thus is the weapon of choice for the Nigerian police.

Sile12:
Thats not it,its what they've been doing for years even before BokoHaram came out...
Are policemen in SW,SE and SS also scared of being attacked by BokoHaram....
Come to Ondo, Ekiti, and other peaceful States like that, you see the officers Carrying, Sleeping,Waking up,Bathing, Eating, and Drinking with the rusted, heavy, and disgusting looking AKs...Most times one finds it difficult to diffentiate between them and touts,corrupt and shallow thinking illiterates....

dabossman: I was just having this conversation with a friend a couple of days ago. I wonder why our policemen can't just carry small side-arms? Every where you turn, it is long rifles everywhere. Is it like a new police policy? Just so primitive in my opinion.

ichidodo: A sheer apparent lack of sophistication and just plain cluelessness at the security risk they pose themselves and to the public as a martial arts expert what is stopping me from reverse twisting their rifle hand simultaneously delivering a hammer fist knockout blow to the temple before making away with one of the most powerful shooter (rifle) in the world??...They should count themselves lucky that Nigerians are predominantly peaceful people.Make dem go Jamaica go try that nonsense....