ALKALI AMANA'S BOARD ( Corruption amongst our security agencies??)

Vividly, I can remember the scenes from the past when we traveled to and fro from the South to the North with our parents. The green of the south had its lure during the rainy season which it entertained us with until it handed us over to the sparse grounds towards the North.

As a kid, I heard people commending the security forces (especially the Nigerian Army) of the Nation for their patriotism and refusal to compromise in any situation. Of course, it was common notion that the police took bribe and in a common denomination that had the face of a former Head of State on it. As we traveled, I watched the modus operandi of the Nigerian Army and it was strictly the call of duty that they answered. I didn't see them stretch their arms out for peanuts at any point. They ran a due search on each vehicle they found suspicious. One time, I dozed off sleeping and the soldier at the checkpoint requested that they wake me up so he could verify that I was not kidnapped. That was duty and service as it is.

In the present time, I have reservations as to my earlier memories because of what I see play out everyday. The roads I ply now tend to reveal a lot and no security agent of this once a great nation can be trusted to effectively carry out the service of its duty. It cuts a vein each time I see soldiers now stretching their arms to collect money from drivers, and sometimes they even give change. The effect of what is being done may not be remedied in a long time to come. Here is a nation with a lot of security challenges and problems, (especially as to robbery, kidnaps, bomb detonations and whatnot) and we still have such faults with our security system. One may argue in favour of the cankerworm - Corruption - which has eaten deep even into our values but I still believe certain things should not be seen or heard in certain places. If the Nigerian Police will do it, then not the Nigerian Army. It is a pitiful sight to see our soldiers at checkpoints wrestle with drivers because they were not 'settled' by same. The respect has been diminished and the worth abandoned. I boarded a vehicle once and the driver after he had gone past a checkpoint by giving #50 said "If I wan carry bomb or gun pass now, e deh easy. With my #50, I go pass. Nobody go check my booth or my passenger".

If this is the extent to which we have gone, how do we intend to gain the respect of other nations, when even ours dispute the quality of what we have.

I bring this to your notice, as we fold our arms and watch our nation decay. But, here is my bit.


Run your comments and thoughts Tellrheaders. Happy Saturday!


👤: Alkali Amana

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