Policemen take solace in makeshift tents, canopies as burnt stations remain in ruins
By Patience Ogbo
No doubt, the effects of the endsars protest and aftermath destruction of properties including police stations have done more harm than good as the Nigeria police Force which was grappling with issues of underfunding, dilapidated offices , barracks and low morale was further denigrated and humiliated and its properties looted and burnt.
Ironically, the Nigeria police Force which the endsars protest promoters aimed to help call attention to the deplorable conditions has not only failed in their bid but have created more problems for officers and men of the Force and the Force in its entirety as the destruction of police stations , have left police personnel with no office to sit down and carry out their while many have no patrol vehicles ,and other equipment to work with.
According to investigation, more than twenty police stations were burnt and destroyed by angry youth following the alleged shooting of protesters at the Lekki Toll gate on October 20th last year.
It is indeed sad to report that more than three months after the protest, police stations which were burnt and destroyed are still in ruins.
One of such police stations is the Ikotun police station which before its destruction had over twenty offices including a hall and a cell. The station which was given a facelift before the endsars protest is now a shadow of itself.
When this correspondent visited the station, policemen including the Divisional Police Officer DPO were sitting under canopies and attending to suspects and victims in the open. Other officers sat in burnt offices and open spaces in the scotching sun. In one of the canopies donated by the PCRC, about twenty officers desks cramped in the canopies with no fan and privacy.
The DPO also sat in the open canopy attending to suspects, officers and other functions under the scorching sun . One would wonder, what if rain starts falling suddenly? Where will these policemen and women take refuge ?
Following investigations, it was gathered that policemen may continue to work in the ruin stations as promises by both state and federal government to rebuild the stations have not yielded positive outcome.
A visit to the Igando police station is not different as petty traders had taken over the burnt station , displaying their wares and selling their goods and services in and around the station. The market had stretched into the road while the commercial motorcycle and tricycle riders have taken their spots in front of the station. To say the entire environment surrounding the burnt station is chaotic is an understatement. While the station remains in ruin, the police men moved their offices to the Town hall as a temporary base of operation. The DPO assisted by kind individuals put up a small office where he operates from and a decent toliet was under construction. Inside the town hall where the policemen set up their offices is like a market place with officers struggling for spaces and taking turns to attend to complainants and suspects.
A police official said " This is like pushing someone from the frying pan to fire. The station we had was not up to standard but look at the worst situation we are in"
A visit to the Onipanu and Alade police stations in Shomolu local government area of the state is not only heartbreaking but sad seeing officers with nowhere to call office. At the Alade police station, is in complete ruin with no activity. It was gathered that the policemen have relocated to the police post at Bashua area.
A police source said " We are getting request from cooperate organisation and community members to rebuild the station. Some of them have donated bags of cements and other building materials for us to use to rebuild the station but the police authority said we cannot rebuild the station. The police high command said the federal government has taken stock of all the burnt stations but we do not know when they will start rebuilding it . Right now we need offices to put our heads to work".
The Onipanu police station however has started operating but the police men are working in the open from canopies and make shift tents. Patrol vehicles, guns , office equipment like television, air conditioners, freezers, frigdes and other property belonging to officers and the divisional police office were not only vandalised but also looted during the protest are yet to be replaced.
Other burnt police stations in Lagos include the United Nation standard Orile police station,Makinde Ebute Ero , Ogombo, Area J Ajah stations among others making officers to work under pitiable condition.
The Ojoo police station in Ibadan Oyo State is also in ruins. No activity whatsoever is going on. The policemen attached to the station and in others in hinter communites have reportedly redeploy themselves to safer communities.
Investigation also revealed that while policemen are badly affected by the destruction of their offices, civilians especially women and children victims of crime are finding it difficult to get justice following the burning of police stations in their communities.
Investigation reveals that the cases that ought to have been reported at the nearby police stations, are being reported at the state command at Ikeja and the SCID thereby overworking these policemen.
Investigation further reveals that the complainants and victims of crime are paying exorbitantly for their cases to be handled.
As a result ,human rights activists are donating money to police stations to buy fuel, stationary like pen, books.
One of the donors who requested anonimity said
"Police investigation is a complicated case. The police need money for running around and carrying out the necessary things. The government has failed to provide these funds. Police cannot use their meagre salary to fund investigations and medical tests.
This is why corruption continues and the poor repeatedly fails to get justice.
Definitely, a struggling woman who can't afford a phone, can't possibly want to go all the way in sponsoring her daughter's fight for justice.
She would first of how to feed her children.
We are in a sorry state in this country. But we have to continue to do our best"
Another youth right activist Julie Francis said " If we truly love children and justice, we can do something about it. Not just by our actions but by our deeds.
We have over 100 persons.
We can start, beginning from ending of this February, to do a monthly contribution of N1000, to aid investigations and help to women like mama chiamaka.
Most of us spend more than that every day at a sitting to eat or drink with friends.
Mr. Ebenezer Omejalile , the coordinator of Advocates For Children And Vulnerable Persons Network ( ACVPN) said "The effects of the burnt police stations across Nigeria had a serious negative impact on us , survivors and the general population Let's use Lagos State as a case study where most of it's sensitive Area Command that had specialize Units such as Family Support Unit FSU, Gender units, Juvinile welfare Centers and Human rights units were all burnt down. As a result of this ugly incident, we struggled to get perpetrators who çommitted crimes such as defilement , domestic violence , Human Rights abuses were completely put on hold without any form of arrest . The ones that were not burnt failed to act due to uncertainty and the fear of possible attack , as result this perpetrators are having a filled day. Area Command are overstretched as series of cases are often referred to the State Command Gender unit Ikeja and Gender unit PANTI. We received reports of some officers deliberately conspiring to truncate cases, our saving grace is the state Command PPRO and Zone 2 PPRO who monitored these cases and ensured justice were duly served.
Speaking further on the effects the burnt stations have on administration of criminal justice, Mr. Omejalile said
" Due to the burning down of these stations there was no patrol van to effect arrest of offenders of crime. We had to pay through our nose, although some of the Area Commanders are very helpful in ensuring the needful is done . received several complaints from Survivors and mandated reporters on how cases were badly handled. Akinpelu Police Station in Oshodi whereby cases of difilement/ Rape are directed to crime office instead of it's functioning JWC/Human Rights section.A case of notorious pedophile was reported at Akinpelu Police Station by a mandated reporter it was shocking how the case was mismanaged because it was not referred to the appropriate unit , the perpetrator is currently walking free and he has the audacity to threaten the mandated reporter. We express our appreciation to the DCP Margaret Ochala Coordinator Gender/Special Adviser to the IGP Force Head Quarters for her motherly role to ensure those stations respond appropriately. She was practically monitoring cases that were badly managed and ensured they are properly charged."
A resident who identifed himself as Dr. Taiwo Lekan said he had to part with money for fuel when he was recently arrested. He said " I was driving along the road somewhere in Lagos but ran into the policemen who said I was plying one way. They took us to their station and it was in ruins. The officers and DPOs were sitting outside in the scotching sun and fanning themselves. The DPO had a tiny office he had managed to build while the men were loitering. One of them told me to buy fuel as my punishment so I gave them twenty five litres of fuel. I feel sorry seeing them work in such dilapidated station. It is indeed sad'.
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