Nigeria Police must recognize and respect the legitimate right of other similar agencies created by law to coexist with it Contempt of other agencies by the lead interiorl law enforcer in Nigeria has created and promoted frosty interagency security relationship. From time to time, Police engages in bitter conflict with other related security entities. In some cases, fatalities are recorded, and servicemen are brutalized. It's overbloated ego makes the service to regard other complimentary agencies with contempt. Police extreme air of haughtiness keeps flaring up conflicts between its men and other servicemen. The service has been notorious for attempts to subdue and subjugate other agencies under its control, including the Military.

But there is a limit to everything. Unfortunately, the Police does not recognize any boundary. It's operatives are inflated by the feeling of superiority over other security departments of the state, especially in superintending internal security. Several occassions in the past, this arrogant disposition of the Police had led to dire consequences such as full blown muscle flexing with superior security entities such as the Army, the Navy and the Airforce. In each case, police had paid the most price.

It is noteworthy that in most cases, Police insensitivity instigates conflicts. Police would notice a serviceman in a vehicle, yet would insist the driver must gratify them. This often happens though the serviceman identifies himself, and requests policemen for consideration. In such cases, a military man would feel disrespected by a policeman making such a demand. It is customary, sometimes, for public transport operators to give transport fare waivers to servicemen, the military in particular, in appreciation for the peculiar role they play in protecting the nation at the expense of their lives. Police is fully aware of this gesture, but would exhibit open disdain for servicemen on transit. In the process, exchange of hot altercations would clmax into conflict of superiority.

The period, from 2005 to 2019, witnessed recurrent Police and Military conflicts. Most of these conflicts were traffic related. For example, in October 2005, at Ojuelegba bus stop, Lagos, the resistance of two passenger soldiers in a commercial bus against policemen attempt to extort money from the driver stirred up conflict between the Police and the Army. Soldiers of Abalti Barracks, Ojuelegba and policemen of Area 'C' Command engaged each other in deadly arms confrontation. Three police fatalities, and fifty (50) vehicles completely burnt were the outcome of the fracas.

Another conflict between policemen of Badagry Police Station and soldiers of 242 Recce Battalion, Ibereko Barracks Badagry, May 2011, consumed the Divisional Police Officer(DPO), the Divisional Crime Officer(DCO), and eight others. Police had shot an army officer at a road checkpoint, and the soldiers responded in retaliation, killing the policemen who were going to the Army base for reconcilliation.

In April 2017, a soldier and three policemen paid the supreme price in Yobe State, following a bitter conflict between the two agencies. Report said an army officer had run into the convoy of the Head of Mopol Unit, Damaturu, and was subsequently battered. Soldiers avenged for the assault, capturing the Mopol Commander.

Again, Calabar, the Cross State capital, was the center for another conflict, this time, between the Police and the Navy. A night attack by navalmen, May 29 2017 left several policemen dead, and a police station razed down. The attack was due to a minor fight between a traffic policeman and a naval officer near Calabar stadium.

There were several other skirmishes involving the Police and the Military within the petiod in reference. Space would not permit to give details of them here.

Several commentators have erred in their separate perspectives of the many fracas between Police and other security services, blaming duplication of functions and rivalry as the cause. This is absolutely untrue. One would wonder where and how the roles of the Military are conflicting with those of the Police. The roles of the Military are distinctively defined in the constitution as protecting the sovereignty of Nigeria, though they could be called upon to compliment in enforcing interior security as situation might dictate. The constitution also defines Police role as to maintain law and order within the interior of Nigeria. There is no conflicting roles or overlapping of functions of the two as suggested by many commentators. The underlying factor in the Police-Military confrontation, as well as other similar conflicts, is that Police is haughty,, assuming blatant supremacy over other complimentary security services. In all the cases involving the Military and the Police as cited above, it is evident that the Police is contempteous of other sister agencies. Police disrespects the Military. It displays tha similar trait to other paramilitary agencies.

Every confrontation involving the Police and other security services is predicated on Police assumption of superiority over, and disdain for, other similar agencies.


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Damnnn
Guy you just get personal issue with the police
FYI...I was at 11/11 when the one at Calabar happened and i can't remember anything of what you reported happening... rather, the naval officers were the one who suffered the highest casualties loosing 2 officers while one sustained injuries
Meanwhile the police lost 1 officer and 3 sustained injuries....no police station was razed down as you mentioned earlier.
No be police dey start most cases they're always bullied by the armed forces just because of their superior warfare and weapon capabilities.