INSECURITY: GHETTO KIDS, POLICE AND THIEVES, AND THE THIRD WORLD COP
GHETTO KIDS, POLICE AND THIEVES, AND THE
THIRD WORLD COP
Insecurity in a nation like
Nigeria in Africa is multifaceted. External Insecurity occasioned by
infiltration of terrorists and insurgents into the country through its porous
borders have been a great source of concern over the years. Kidnappings and
mass murders have daunted subsequent governments in Nigeria. Despite claims and
grandstanding by top security personnel the hydra-headed problem, like “Abiku”,
keeps coming and going like the seasons. There seems to be no end in sight.
Claims that the insurgents have
been “Technically Defeated” don’t make any sense again.
While that facet of
insecurity goes on, the internal/local version is fast growing to an insurmountable
level.
The blame hangs precariously
on the system that produces violent criminals, the government and a dangerously
compromised law enforcement system.
Most, almost all, violent
criminals are products of the ghettos where the basic facilities for a
meaningful life are lacking.
IN THE GHETTO
Elvis Presley’s song of the above title gives an insight into the chances of survival in the kind of environment they were born.
As
the snow flies
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
A poor little baby child is born
In the ghetto
And
his mama cries
'Cause if there's one thing that she don't need
It is another little hungry mouth to feed
In the ghetto
People,
don't you understand
The child needs a helping hand
Or he'll grow to be an angry young man someday
Take a look at you and me
Are we too blind to see?
Do we simply turn our heads
And look the other way
Well,
the world turns
And a hungry little boy with a runny nose
Plays in the street as the cold wind blows
In the ghetto
And
his hunger burns
So he starts to roam the streets at night
And he learns how to steal
And he learns how to fight
In the ghetto
Then
one night in desperation
The young man breaks away
He buys a gun, steals a car
Tries to run, but he don't get far
And his mama cries
As
a crowd gathers 'round an angry young man
Face down on the street with a gun in his hand
In the ghetto
And
as her young man dies
In
the ghetto
On a cold and gray Chicago mornin'
Another little baby child is born
In the ghetto
And his mama cries
The lyrics of the song clearly mirrors how and why the society
we the people and government have neglected in abject squalor while we live in fancy
opulence has produced the ones who will make our lives unsafe and insecure. It
will be herculean to provide the basic things like Education, Health, Clean Environment
as well as re-orientation for the people of the Ghetto.
The governments, philanthropists, politicians, Religious bodies
etc. must pay attention to this section of our society. Failing this the pauperized
products of the slums will make life unbearable for the ones we spent so much
to make touché.
Provision of amenities and opportunities is a veritable antidote
for CRIME PREVENTION.
The Crime Detection and Law Enforcement come to the fore. Citizens
don’t know who to be afraid of these days between the Law Breakers and the Law
Enforcers.
Junior Marvin’s song “Police
and Thieves” also helps picture the situation.
We're going through a tight wind
Police and thieves in the streets, oh yeah
Scaring the nation with their guns and
ammunition
Police and thieves in the street, oh yeah
Fighting the nation with their guns and
ammunition
From genesis to revelation
The next generation will be, hear me
From genesis to revelation
The next generation will be, hear me
And all the crowd comes in, day by day
No one stops it in any way
All the peacemakers, turn war officer
Hear what I say, he-e-ey
Police and thieves in the streets, oh yeah
Scaring the nation with their guns and
ammunition
Police and thieves in the street, oh yeah
Fighting the nation with their guns and
ammunition
From genesis to revelation
The next generation will be, hear me
Throw it up, throw it up, throw it up, throw it
up, throw it up
Oh yeah
Throw it up, throw it up, throw it up, throw it
up, throw it up
Oh yeah
And all the crowd come in, day by day
No one stop it in anyway
All the peacemaker, turn war officer
Hear what I say, he-e-ey
Police, police, police and thieves, oh yeah
Police, police, police and thieves, oh yeah
From genesis-is-is-is-is-is-is-is-is-is, oh yeah
Police, police, police, police and thieves, oh
yeah
And I'm scaring, I'm fighting the nation, oh
yeah
Shooting, shooting their guns and, guns and
ammunition, oh yeah
Oh yeah, police, police, police and thieves, oh
yeah
I'm scaring, oh yeah
I'm scaring the nation, police, police, police,
police, oh yeah
Here come, here come, here come
The station is bombed, oh yeah
Get out, get out, get out you people
If you don't want to get blown up, oh yeah
The police, the police and the thieves, oh yeah
You got an extra grand
But you got trapped in the middle of police and
thieves.
I was shaking like a leaf in
the wind. It took an assurance from the driver, who was used to them, before my
blood pressure started to subside gradually.
The gun-toting men, no IDs,
no Badges, singled out a young man out of the four passengers in the vehicle.
They asked the rest of us to leave. The young youth corps member complained and
two “officers” took turns slapping him. A kick from the third one sent the boy
sprawling on the ground.
We intervened and asked what
the boy’s offence was. He was suspected to be a “yahoo boy”. He was asked to
give them his phone. He did. It had no password. A search through the phone
produced nothing. An argument started when they still insisted on taking the
Corper from Rivers State with them. We were at it when vehicles coming on the
other side raised an alarm that armed robbers were operating close to where we
were.
The men ran into their
vehicle and zoomed off.
We couldn’t continue the
journey and ran into the nearby bush. The filibursting officers who found it
easy to harass innocent civilians some minutes earlier took to their heels at
the mere mention of criminals.
There are daily news of
police brutality on the streets while they run away from their statutory
duties. Videos of policemen brutalizing people go viral every day. Despite
stern disciplinary actions by the police top brass, then men don’t seem to
relent. The rag-tag dressing typical of police officers especially leaves a
sour taste in the mouth.
Could there be an issue with
the caliber and antecedents of people recruited into the force?
What are their backgrounds?
Are they products of the ghettos that are disenchanted and angry with the
society? Are they mentally different from the criminal elements?
That brings to mind a film I
saw some years back.
A police officer returns to
his neighborhood in Kingston, Jamaica to find himself in conflict with his
childhood friend who is now the right-hand-man of the local gang-lord in a
gun-running racket
While pursuing
several leads, he reunites with his childhood friends, particularly producer
Ratty and old flame Rita. Unbeknownst to Capone, Ratty is involved in the arms
trafficking. Ratty invites Capone to the club, where he is introduced to
Ratty's one-handed boss Wonie.
Capone had a difficult
time maneuvering between his upbringing and his profession.
Many police
officers find themselves in Capone’s shoes. Unlike Capone, they fraternize with criminals and they soon
become partners in crime. News of officers running crime rings or being part of
criminal syndicates are rife.
Until there is a synergy of government and people is geared
towards making life more livable in the ghetto and a re-orientation of the officers
and men of the police force, MORE
YOUNGSTERS WILL MORPH INTO CRIMINALS WHILE POLICE AND THIEVES WILL KEEP FRIGHTENING
THE NATION WITH THEIR GUNS AND AMMUNITION.
Femi Ladapo writes from Ibadan, Nigeria
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