A recent video which showed Nigerian policemen queuing up to receive cash from a Chinese national has once again brought up the issue of men and women of the nation’s security and law enforcement agencies involved in behaviour incompatible with their rules of engagement. The video, which went viral on the social media with mobile policemen in full uniform and riot gear collecting the money, outraged Nigerians who roundly condemned the incident as inappropriate and a blight on the image of the Nigeria Police Force.

According to reports, the policemen were attached to a group of Chinese nationals who were touring Kaduna State on a business inspection visit which necessitated the deployment of the policemen to provide security to the entourage. In demonstrating their ‘gratitude’ for a job well done, the leader of the Chinese delegation proceeded to hand out cash to the policemen, which was captured on camera.

Whatever the motive behind such display of gratuitousness, Nigerians did not find it amusing that their policemen should allow themselves to be involved in such unprofessional behaviour which goes contrary to everything the police stand for. It is not just a breach of the rules of engagement of service personnel, which the police as an apex law enforcement agency fully subscribes to; it is also an affront to the common rules of morality which apply to our everyday life.

This has once again brought to the fore the documented incidents of uniformed service men and women engaging in activities ranging from soliciting and receiving gratification, colluding with known criminals and undesirables among other unacceptable behaviours, in the course of their duties. Nigerians are greatly disturbed that these incidents have been growing to the extent that they are almost becoming normal in the course of operations of our servicemen and women.

In our present circumstances where insecurity and violent criminality have become daily occurrences, Nigerians need their servicemen and women to be vigilant and uncompromising on issues that give rise and encourage these anti-social developments. Accordingly, there should be no room in the services for activities that compromise or derail the desire to stamp out these vices from our society.

Very germane in this regard is also the need for our servicemen to maintain an image of professionalism at all times in their conduct before foreign nationals. We should bear in mind that our servicemen and women are almost always the first and last point of contact for foreigners visiting the country. It behoves, therefore, that they exhibit their best professional behaviour in such situations whether serving on guard duty or on normal routine assignments. Being specially selected and trained, the image our servicemen and women project invariably forms the impression that foreign nationals have of the country and the responsible authorities must bear this in mind at all times.

Against this background, it comes as no surprise that Nigerians are outraged at the Kaduna incident of policemen receiving gratification from a Chinese national. The incident reflects poorly not only on the Nigerian police but on the image of the country as a whole. It tends to show that the professional integrity of our servicemen and women can be easily compromised in the line of duty by foreign nationals. This has a negative bearing on not just the image of the country but on its security as well, as it indicates that the men and women responsible for safeguarding the country can be persuaded to drop their guard in breach of their rules of engagement.

All said, we note that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has moved swiftly to investigate the Kaduna incident following public outcry. He has reportedly recalled the head of the mobile police for discussions on the incident. We believe he should go beyond that by inviting all the policemen shown in the video receiving the cash.

While it is gratifying that the IGP had on Tuesday announced the immediate reorganisation of the Police Mobile Force (PMF), aiming to bolster internal security and enhance operational readiness, we are distressed that this is not the first time such orders were given.

There is the likelihood that the latest decision was taken in response to the unfortunate incident in Kaduna!

According to a statement released on X by Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the IGP emphasised the need to reposition the PMF in alignment with its original mandate.

The PMF was established as the Nigeria Police Force’s elite strike unit, designed to respond swiftly to riots, emergencies, and violent threats.

The IG expressed concern over the diversion of PMF personnel to non-core duties.

He noted that PMF personnel have been increasingly assigned to “non-core roles, including escort and guard duties for private individuals and VIPs,” a trend that, according to the IGP, “has undermined the unit’s effectiveness.”

The truth is that Nigerian citizens are increasingly becoming agitated by such promises from the police high command, as they continue to see the same policemen accompanying VIPs after a few days.

The police force must look inwards and address existing anomalies, including hiring out its personnel for escort duties to any Nigerian that has the money to pay, irrespective of his moral standing in the society.

Also, the IG should review the service rules on providing police protection to foreign delegations. It must be reiterated to those delegations that handing out cash to policemen is a serious breach of service rules and thus not tolerated.

The IG must also look into the issue of motivation and allowances of servicemen and women deployed to such duties service wide. If service men and women on such duties are not paid their allowances due to them, it invariably opens them to request and receive gratification as often happens. Although this is not to justify this unacceptable behaviour, it must nevertheless be considered as part of the necessary investigation and sanctions that Nigerians have called for on the Kaduna incident. (Daily Trust Editorial)