On any election day in Nigeria, it is expectant that all citizens must observe predetermined laws and guidelines towards ensuring smooth conduct of any of such an exercise. Aside the normal appeal to all citizenry by the National Independent Electoral Commission, (INEC) to ensure peaceful conduct of these polls, citizens are also encouraged to restrict their movements so as not to be misunderstood as perpetrators, truncating this democratic franchise. Therefore, during any of such an election day, security operatives are always mandated to watch out for illegal moves by hoodlums so as to help curb any unpalatable experience of inconclusive polls. These security personnel are always paid with taxpayers money to protect the vulnerable and also ensure that these election results are not in any way toyed with.
Obviously, some of these fundamental restrictions are aimed at ensuring law and order on the polity, there are particular specialized professions whose members are unusually exempted from these regulations. These are mostly a group of individuals whose contributions are need, and or considered vital for the people of the nation during such an democratically consolidative exercise.
Last Saturday, the Plateau State Electoral Commission held the much anticipated Local Government elections intended to usher in a new set of political administrators at the third tier of government for the benefit of the rural populace in the state. Though many citizens in the state reportedly complied with some of these guidelines on restriction of movements, yours sincerely as a journalist was obligated to be in the office so as to inform, enlighten and educate the citizenry of these unfolding developments.
As early as I could, I left my abode at Agingi in Bassa Local Government Area of the state with the intension of getting to the office on time for my work. However, before the Rukuba Road Satellite Market, I was stopped by a group of soldiers who demanded to know who I was and where I was going. I immediately on request told them that I am a journalist on transit to my office to monitor and disseminate the elections process in the state. To my greatest disbelieve, one of the soldiers on duty demanded that I must produce a signal which facilitated my contravening the restrictions put in place for the smooth conduct of the state elections. To my naive understanding, a signal warranting a personal to leave point A to point B is only applicable to the military and or other security personal in the country. Apparently, all bloody civilians are not directed through such operational strategy.
On hearing this from the military on that fateful day, Yours sincerely knew that the security officers would really take me for a ride. Thus, even after I told one of them nearest to me that there are specialized group of professionals who are always excused during occasions as such. To my greatest disappointment, the officer after consulting with his other colleagues demanded I must beg before I would be allowed passage to town. ‘I should for what’, was my quick response?
Knowing too well that I had done nothing wrong and I was only on duty, I told the solider that I will not beg for passage but rather would turn back which I did. I however had to take an alternative far distant route to my office.
I can recall with great nostalgia a few weeks back, it was reported that a Nurse was mishandled by a set of security personal even when she had introduced herself to them. It was alleged that despite being in her work insignia, the Nurse was forced to roll inside a gutter and subsequently released after the officers were done with her.
Not too long ago, another unimaginable video emanated of a female military officer dehumanizing an NYSC member in one of these southern states of our country for committing no particular crime. Though the corpernever resisted all the agonizing bulling, the military officer decided to humiliate the bloody civilian with impunity as has been the case with many innocent victims in the past.
These are certainly unpalatable stories to hear particularly when it comes to the need for sustainable human relations between security officials and the civilians in the country. While one can proudly associate with several military gentlemen who have with integrity distinguished themselves in service to their motherland, quite a pocket few have been but a complete disgrace.
Many of such officers have been our problem in this country. Such officers once in their uniforms think that they are above any other citizen of the nation. They feel that they can do and undo in this country and or brutalize anybody in this country with impunity.
If I can remember, it was these same acts of brutality perpetrated by some of these heartless and focus-less security officers that led to the EndSARS calamity early this year. It was this same behavioral attitude of some of these overzealous security officers which almost set this nation on fire but for the grace of God.
Considering the EndSARS devastation of early this year, one had hoped that we have all learned our lessons, but it seems there are still other bad eggs that need to be shown the way out of the system. Now that the Federal Government has decided to re-structure all security agencies, all bad eggs in the system must be shown the way out.
In the midst of the security challenges facing this nation, all that the citizens need is a more civilized and people-friendly security personnel ever ready to repose confidence on. Therefore, the echelon of these security organizations must come to terms with the reality of the fact that the citizens are unabatedly bullied and intimidated by their men and women in the force.
These are service men and women who are paid with taxpayers money and must be civilized enough to respect and protect these same bloody civilians in this country and not to continue to browbeat them.
