Hi everyone, welcome to my small corner, well am still new in this blogging thing, am not used to being formal, so me I go just speak my mind, no sentiments, no yawa, no maggi or sugar. The issue that got me thinking recently was the rate of armed robberies in our major cities in naija. These days, when I walk into the bank to do some small bizness (u know), I get so scared because nobody knows when they will strike, (I mean the robbers). The issue is even better here in Abuja, in Lagos, they seem to have a roaster, “this month was oceanic, don’t worry, next month will be zenith, and then UBA, its turn by turn, so you can put your mind at ease”, a banker told me while cashing my cheque. Omo, I weak o, so u already know? I asked looking surprised. Yes o, na today yansh don dey dey for back? She replied. I no fit shout o, while the Police are busy granting press briefings on their success in recent times, I wonder what they are doing about this robberies?
The painful thing about the whole issue is that these dare devil robbers come at daylight, between 12 noon and 2 pm, (in the koro- koro), walk into the banks, load cash into cars, spray any one that stands in their way with sufficient bullets and leave slowly. These guys have enough weapons and ammunition to declare war on a small country, how much more a small division of policemen. The last one I witnessed at Ijesha-tedo area of Lagos, not far from surulere was like a war film staring Rambo and friends, they were like 30 in number, including some good-looking females among them, no masks, no fear, they were so bold. They were shooting for hours hoping that the Police might show up, but when they got tired of shooting, they left slowly with a Coaster Bus with enough money to sponsor a World Bank project in a developing country. This brings us to the question, what are we going to do to help our police?
Some years back, they bought Peugeot cars (306 and 406) to help the Police in their duties, but most of those cars are grounded today. How Police man wey no fit chop go dey maintain 406, Na beans, how much dem dey pay am. If say them use that money buy small tokunbo Japanese cars wey dey easy to maintain, e for better. You know how much wey dem they dey sell 406 headlamp for market? My Igbo brothers go tell you. How you want take 306 pursue armed robbers and your no want make the headlamps break or for the car to scratch in the process, you could just escort them rather than pursue them. I no wan talk about the Prado Jeeps wey them give them, that one na for home videos you go see police dey demo’ with their jeeps and helicopters.
Our policemen are not only under paid but in case of their demise in the line of duty, the compensation that is paid to the poor widow can’t even buy a good bike, not to talk of renting a decent place (incase them waka you from barracks), not to talk of paying school fees for the 12 children he left behind (may his soul rest in peace), sorry I did not include the twins the widow is expecting in a few months time. Why Police no go chop bribe when the conditions of service too poor? I feel sorry for them because it’s not easy at all. The state of their barracks is a topic on its own, but I must confess that the last time I visited a sick friend at a Police Barracks, men, I was almost admitted in the hospital, in short, I almost died, just 15 minutes visit o, if I had stayed a little longer …….
……………. My mother would have been making funeral arrangements, na wa o. our leaders know the right thing to do, but they prefer doing the opposite. The issue of bullet-proof bullion vans came as a result of robbers stealing the bullion vans when in transit with money, the sum of money lost in that scenario cannot be quantified but the number of Police men who have lost their lives is what worries me. Na person tell them? Them for no bother now? Are we safe? Is the average Police man safe in Naija? These days, when robbers are operating, you see Policemen running for their dear lives, removing their uniforms and taking cover. My uncle told me that about his ordeal with armed robbers while traveling to the East, somewhere around Benin. The robbers blocked the road and opened fire, everybody scattered into the forest including the policemen who were unfortunate to be on patrol at that time. The way the Policemen abandoned their patrol car and ran into the forest was remarkable. Two hours after the dare-devil robbers had left, one of the Policemen was asked my uncle “Bros, abeg u helep me see where I drop my rifle?”
U blame am? I no blame am at all. Sometimes I dey wonder where this little boys (and girls) dey this weapons from? This problem is a very serious one which needs a rapid and lasting solution other wise, the foreign investors wey Obasanjo try woo to come invest for the betterment of naija go run finish, and as for we, them go kill us tire.
Atleast I thank God for ATM, I no need to go bank anytime I need 2k, so I no go dey go Bank as often as I been dey go before. No be God? Anyway my people I don speak my mind sha, if una no see me soon, make una know say dem don carry me. Till next time, I dey loyal
-uchevelli.
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