By Ama Chukwugoziem (Abia writer)
Edited by Solomon Elughaiwe
The mayhem caused by the Nigeria police command in Aba, Abia State precisely at Ndiegoro area, has left many people asking what kind of Nigeria police is laying siege against the People she was meant to protect.
Permit me to quote one of the 13th-century Italian philosophers Dante Alighieri, and he said, "The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in moments of moral crisis maintain their neutrality". There may be analogies and juxtapositions as to whether there are parts of hell that are hotter than the other. Be that as it may, the message of this great philosopher is trying to pass here is that we should be loud, vocal and vociferous too when confronted with anomalies in the society.
The abnormalities in the modus operandi of the Nigeria police is reminiscent to a saying of Igbos of Biafra extraction, "Chi boo anuozo" meaning that every passing day carries in its wings tragedy and atrocities committed by Nigeria policemen. It will take only one who has not encountered police brutality, high handedness and insensitivity not to agree with the writer of this article. My disdain for uniformed men stems from my bitter and sour experience in the hands of the Nigeria Police and some stories told by friends. The scenario within the Nigeria police conduct or system is like one sane man that crossed the street with nine lunatics, which is usually looked at as ten madmen crossing the road.
So sad and disheartening is the fact that the unprofessional conduct of the Nigeria police force is variance: here I bring to mind what the commissioner of police in Abia state, Mr. Ene Okon said or a caption from the Leader newspaper dated Sunday, May 5, 2019." Abia CP raises alarm over Cop's Involvement in crime." In the CP's own words, "I have a problem with policemen in Aba. The number of police officers that are involved in criminal activities in Aba is alarming. Every police officer in Abia wants to be posted to Aba. My question is to do what? Does it mean police work cannot be done at Arochukwu, Ohafia, Nkporo, Isuikwuato and Uzuakoli? Why must it be Aba"?
These are some of the words of the Abia state commissioner of police as far back as May 5, 2019. Now compare it with the ugly incident that took place in Ndiegoro area in Aba on October 1, 2019, then tell us, how anyone can exonerate the Nigeria policemen in Aba from this heinous act. No day passes that one will not hear or read from the pages of the Nigeria dailies, one or two heinous crimes committed by these Nigeria policemen. I don't know if the commissioner is not ashamed that his policemen are involved in crime.
I say this because news on cases of police brutality and killings of innocent unarmed Biafrans has gotten to a toxic and nauseating point. Many Biafrans are missing because of the activities of these callous police officers. A few months ago, in June 2019, a 21-year-old Biafran Mr Chukwuikem Onuoha, a resident of Okwulagha Afara Ukwu in Umuahia, Abia state capital was shot dead by a trigger happy police sergeant Collins Akpu Ugo. That led to Biafran women protesting against killings of their children.
The manner and way the policemen force motorists to give them money is armed robbery. Let the truth be told, but for the arms they bear, not all motorists will comply with giving them money. Now looking at these litanies of killings by these policemen in Biafra land, one cannot under any guise believe that slogan that, "police are your friends" rather trained to kill the masses they were meant to protect.
Sources reaching our Abia Writers' desk, have it that those policemen who were involved in this heinous crime in Ndiegoro have been promoted and transferred without proper investigation as confirmation and the legitimization of police evil in Biafraland. The episodic display, of man's inhumanity to man and the mission of most Nigeria police officers in Aba has left permanent wounds in the hearts of Biafrans today. Biafrans are the most traumatized people in this contraption called Nigeria. Aba landlords and house owners whose properties were burnt and destroyed by these wicked policemen are left desolate and helpless.
Every life is sacred and counts, and no one has a license to kill.
The restoration of Biafra is our last hope.
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