Police neck-deep in politics’

  NPF: We’re not partisan

A common perception among Nigerians is that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is often used by the government as a tool to intimidate political opposition elements. Many believe that the force appears to be entangled in the political contest for power between the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

First established in 1820, the NPF was set up to protect officials of government. During the colonial period, the police was working mainly to protect officials of the native authority. Initially regional, it transformed into a centralized force, and has evolved into the primary law enforcement agency in the country. 

The NPF became embroiled in the recent political battle in Benue State, shortly after Governor Samuel Ortom defected from the ruling APC, to the opposition PDP. The state government on Wednesday 1st August 2018 submitted a petition to the Police Service Commission (PSC) over alleged bias in the crises over the leadership of the State House of Assembly and the defection of the governor from APC to PDP.

Daily Trust Saturday gathered that the letter written by the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Michael Gusa, asked the PSC to call the police to order. Dated 31st July, 2018, the letter demanded that the PSC intervene and direct the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Benue State, to withdraw officers and men from the illegal invasion and sealing up of the assembly complex.

Gusa explained: “The affected lawmakers took out an action in the High Court of Benue State and secured an order of interim injunction restraining the police from sealing the complex or interfering with the functions of the new leadership of the House.” He said the Police have disobeyed the Court order hence the need to seek the intervention of the Commission.

Trouble started when some members of House of Assembly, following Ortom’s defection, impeached Speaker Terkimbi Ikyange.

The police were said to have aided eight members of the House, led by the impeached Speaker, access the assembly chambers where they kickstarted the process of impeaching Ortom. 

The police are also accused of bias in the alleged blockade of the Maitama residence of Senate President Bukola Saraki, following an invitation to appear before investigators over alleged involvement in the now-infamous Offa bank robbery, in Kwara State. Media, traditional and social, became awash with reports of the incident. 

Shortly after the invitation, Saraki it was gathered went off the radar, instead of appearing before police interrogators. Through a statement, Saraki accused the APC of being behind the police invitation. He stated that the invitation to report to a station in Guzape, Abuja, over the Offa robbery investigation was an afterthought designed to achieve political purpose.

“The police have obviously corrupted and politicized their investigations into the Offa robbery incident. They have turned it into an instrument for the party in power to suppress perceived opponents,” Saraki said.

Police spokesman, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood said, “We are not partisan, we are not a political party, we are just doing our job. People should differentiate between politics and criminal matters.”

Moshood explained that suspects arrested over the crime indicted Saraki. “He wrote a letter, and later made statement under caution, and investigation is ongoing, so  we are not political.”

The police spokesman added: “We did not blockade his house; the vehicles there were not police vehicles.” 

On Benue State, Moshood said there is heightened tension there because one group impeached the Speaker and another issued impeachment notice to the governor, so the police had to seal up the assembly complex to maintain law and order.

Andrew Braimoh, the Media Commissioner on the Board of the PSC, noted that occasionally there are complaints about the political bias of the police. He said the PSC received a petition from the Benue State Attorney-General over police conduct. He said the Commission is going to invite all persons and authorities involved in the matter.

Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), said police over the years have been accused of being partisan. “Professionalism, ethics, and code of conduct of security agents have been substituted to loyalty to individuals that control this sector. Today it may be APC being accused of doing that, before it was PDP, it has become the character of politicians to use the security sector to achieve their own interest,” he added.

But Rafsanjani noted that the police should not spare people because of their status, as that would make their actions look like witch-hunts.

Retired Air Commodore Yusuf Anas is the Executive Secretary Centre for Crisis Management. He said over the years, police delve into issues bordering on political interest, and serving some interests directly or indirectly. “I think in the interest of democracy, there is need to allow institutions to function according to the laws establishing them,” he said.

Isa Sanusi, Spokesman of Amnesty International Nigeria, said: “In 2014 and 2016, Amnesty International released reports on state of policing in Nigeria, focusing attention on brutality and other forms of ill-treatment of suspects.” He said AI’s priority has always been asking the NPF to abide by laws in carrying out its responsibilities.

“Nigerians have freedom of association, which guarantees that no one shall be intimidated for his or her choice of political party, or whatever,” Sanusi added.

Okechukwu Nwanguma, National Coordinator the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) said there is serious cause for concern about the survival of democracy when security forces are manipulated. He noted that the police are used to frame allegations against the heads of other arms of government in a bid to harass, blackmail, and attempt to whip them into line in political interest. 

Nwanguma said there is every indication, from the actions of security agencies, that institutions of state are being used to pursue blatant partisan political objectives in ways that undermine their credibility and neutrality, which will foster long-term damage to these institutions.

From all indications, Nigerians remain divided on whether the NPF is a political force, or an apolitical one.