Security Operatives Murderous Competition; Hold Security Agencies Leadership Responsible....

The President of Rights and Freedom Advocates (RIFA), Mr. Luqman Soliu has advised Nigerians to hold Security Agencies Leadership responsible for Security Operatives murderous competition

The nation security operatives are becoming more dangerous and reckless. Rights and Freedom Advocates (RIFA) is in possession of a video trending on social media which was said to have been recorded on December 14, 2018. Following a police officer callous act of terrorism on innocent civilians at a checkpoint in Rumoji before Choba in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The video was shared by a woman passenger who was also in the Agufuore Motor which was travelling from Lagos to Port Harcourt before the police officer; John Sambo with force number 243014 committed the heinous crime, who was reported to have shot a passenger in the leg for begging him not to delay them following the driver inability to produce tainted glass permit.

Similarly, one Army officer in mufti; Isiya Usman attached to Marda Barrack, opposite St. Dominic church, Yaba, Lagos was reported to have, on Tuesday 18th December, 2018, abducted a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official named Afeez Badru who stopped him for passing BRT lane with his Toyota Hiace Bus marked KANO KMC 648 GE.Just on Wednesday November 28, 2018 at Iyana Ipaja, Lagos another LASTMA official; Rotimi Adeyemo was killed by a policeman apart from Bakare Olatunji who was also killed on duty about two years ago.

The spate of security operatives’ lawlessness in Nigeria nowadays calls for serious concern as they kill, maim and oppress with impunity as against their primary role of protecting the citizens and territorial integrity of the nation.The security operatives are employed to protect lives and properties of the citizens and the government but instead they now decapitate the residents.

The daunting manner at which they display unprofessionalism nowadays raises much to be desired. Just on Tuesday December 18, 2018 the former Chief of Defence Staff; Alex Badeh was killed by armed men who went scot-free while no security officer challenged them.

Guess why the civilians without guns and weapons are oppressed easily by most of these security agents! Why must the defenceless citizens be at the receiving end of the dastard acts of notorious security operatives who cherish oppressing innocent citizens?

A media report also had it that a 20-year old Borno State born boy; Muhammad Ibrahim died in the custody of Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS), Obada Oko, Ogun State on December 20, 2018 after his case was transferred from Ibafo where a company stocks, where the boy worked, were allegedly stolen.

He was said to have given clue on those responsible for the theft and was compensated with torture and death by police officers. On Friday April 12, 2019, there was a report that Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) patrol van in Ibadan, Oyo State waylaid and pursued some vehicles until people were killed and the Road (dis) Safety Commission van also embroiled in accident leading to loss of lives and properties.

On Sunday March 31, 2019, one Kolade Johnson was reported to have been killed by police officers at Onipetesi area of Lagos State while watching football match. Similarly, there was a report in Lagos that on Saturday April 13, 2019 one Ada Ifeanyi (a girl of 20) was killed at Apapa area of Lagos State by overbearing murderous police officers.

Most police officers ought to have been jailed or excommunicated from normal people arena for our society to have peace. Similarly, the report from Oyo State is that despite Presidential order that Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) officers should stop usual annihilation of citizens on the road, their terrorism continues and their bosses kept silent.From Igbo-Ora to Iseyin to Shaki and from Abeokuta to Odeda to Ibadan, SARS officers extort and oppress citizens at will while their leaders ignore their oppression on the masses. Why does police echelon wait for a day their officers kill innocent citizens before they act on their criminal tendencies?

There were series of videos on the internet on how Police officers brutalize citizens just because of their guns and uniforms. Is Nigeria paying police and other security agents to oppress citizens?Are citizens not part of families and communities that produce these officers? Does wearing military or para-military uniform now a license to lose one normal sense or kill civilians anyhow?Godwin Onoja was allegedly killed by Custom officers on Sunday February 17, 2019 in Sagamu area of Ogun State over N5,000 extortion.

The armed robbers in police uniform with armour tank at Rounder, Abeokuta have been there for years and their bosses cannot claim oblivious of their atrocities in that area. From Rounder to Crescent University Abeokuta, especially at night, there are more than 5 police check-points within 5-minute drive each collecting N100.

The security check point would have been good if for security of citizens. Which government purse do they remit the proceeds of their daily robbery or that is not a financial crime that EFCC or police authority deserves to prosecute the robbers in police uniform?Or only the civilians or politicians without gun and godfather deserve to be arrested and prosecuted? Samuel Ogundeji of Shaki, Oyo State lost his sight to SARS brutality in 2017 among many other unreported cases of SARS officers’ wickedness. In fact, they have constituted the worst security threat in Nigeria after Boko Haram and kidnappers.

The time was now for the Federal Government (FG) to take the bull by the horns by ensuring holistic reformation of Nigeria Police force especially the murderous elements so as to delist the psychiatric patients among the Force.RIFA opine that the Commissioners of Police in each state should be promptly penalized for misdemeanour of any of their subordinates ditto to Divisional Police Officers (DPO) while withholding of erring officers’ entitlement while they face disciplinary actions would also serve as good deterrent in their misuse of firearms.It would be good if annual psychiatric test is conducted on all security agents who should bear the cost from their monthly pay as part of cost of their indiscipline.

FG should hasten action to restoring orderliness to the police force while the recalcitrant officers should be dealt with appropriately. FRSC should also ensure its officers ensure road safety and stop being road users’ killers while the Customs should restrict their operations to borders.

The National Assembly should not wait until one of its members is gunned down by the murderous security operatives before it acts.Reckless use of gun by security agents should stop henceforth otherwise the government should hold itself responsible for potential citizens’ revolt. Enough of innocent bloodshed in Nigeria!!!

Luqman Soliu

President,

Rights and Freedom Advocates (RIFA)


Source: https://wiseloaded.com/security-operatives-murderous-competition-hold-security-agencies-leadership-responsible/