Okiro's order on roadblocks

THE recent directive by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mike Okiro, that police formations across the country should dismantle checkpoints on the roads seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Checkpoints are still being mounted in apparent disregard of the IG's order, thereby raising questions about discipline and communication within the Police Force. Is the Inspector General of Police unable to control his own officers?

The IG had given the directive due to the blatant abuse of roadblocks by unscrupulous police officers who have turned them into extortion units. As things stand now, Mr. Okiro should either enforce his directive or rescind it. It is pointless issuing directives that cannot be enforced. The IG should hold the state Commissioners of Police responsible for disregarding his directive.

This is not the first time Mr. Okiro has given such an order on roadblocks. He had issued a similar directive not too long ago in Enugu when he went there to take delivery of vehicles and communication equipment that were donated to the police by the Enugu State Government. That order was also blatantly disobeyed as roadblocks continued to be mounted by the police across the country.

Motorists continue to be harassed at these checkpoints, with the police extorting money from both motorists and commuters alike. Oftentimes, the roadblocks are mounted at inconvenient spots and moments, thus causing traffic hold-ups and great discomfort. The standard excuse that is offered by the police in the states is that these are not checkpoints but routine stop-and-search duty or surveillance at pin-down points. This, in the opinion of the police, is in public interest. But what is the difference, when always, the police is more interested in extortion? The activities of the police at checkpoints is reprehensible, the poor image of the organisation can be traced mainly to this.

The original purpose of roadblocks is to check the activities of criminals and armed robbers. Ironically, this has not been achieved. Rather than reduce, the crime rate seems to be getting worse. Daily, daredevil armed robbers prowl our towns and cities, wreaking havoc, despite the ubiquitous presence of policemen at roadblocks and elsewhere. Banks are robbed in broad daylight and travellers are attacked on the highways. Surprisingly, most of the time when these incidents occur, the police are nowhere to be found. When they are summoned, they arrive so late, they are unable to help.

Given the increasing wave of crime in the country, is it advisable to remove all roadblocks? What alternative has the IG put in place? We have in previous editorials on this subject advocated the need to design crime prevention strategies in relation to identified needs. For example, while it may be advisable to remove police roadblocks within urban centres, those on the highways could be retained. The absence of the police on the highways would give robbers unfettered freedom to plunder. In urban centres, roadblocks can be replaced with regular police patrols in all neighbourhoods, to serve notice to hoodlums that the police are watching, and are on alert.

But what is more important is for the police to change its attitude by eschewing the habit of extortion and harassment. The organisation must become people-friendly and more service-oriented. To improve on its performance, the police will need equipment and facilities, its men also need to be motivated and retrained. The police are regularly exposed to danger because criminals tend to have superior weaponry. There is need to address the problems plaguing the police holistically, with the objective of modernising and professionalising it to meet the challenges of a society in transition, that is under siege.

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