The Plight of The Nigerian Police

These Police personnel are Nigerians who are also suffering from the harsh condition of a failed system.

In the wake of the ongoing #EndSARS protests orchestrated by the abuse of power and derailment from it’s primary rules of engagement as this and many more were the root causes of the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

It is pertinent to also look into the living condition of these men saddled with the responsibilty of protecting our lives and livelihood and the fact that they are underpaid.

A visit to any Police barracks in Nigeria, especially the ones in Lagos reveals so much about the appalling living condition as most buildings within the barracks are dilapidated with no social or basic amenities in place. The worst among the ones i have been to are the Mopo2 and Ijeh barracks at Obalende… they look like forgotten ghettos.

Their wives either sell kunu or brukutu. Most of them are the ones who sell along Obalende road at night… They used to sell during the day until Lagos State Government drove them cos they were obstructing the flow of traffic.

A Police officer once told me how he paid 250k to bribe his way in order to secure an apartment in that slum called barracks and how he also paid heavily to be drafted to SARS.

These men also sit down to discuss about this failed system(government) just like you and I. They have their own grievances but cannot express all of these issues because they are bounded by the law.

The Government should kindly and quickly look into their plight, these men are also Nigerians who deserve to live well in a decent environment.
You don’t give an angry man a gun.

~ Chris Omeruo (Twitter: @cxdevine).