POLICE REFORMS By Nonyerem Ibiam

The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of one of the Northern States of Nigeria has made a call for police officers to undergo some kind of psychiatric examination every six months. The learned Attorney General made the call following incessant reports of police shooting of unarmed civilians.

In more civilized climes, the police force and other security agencies of the government are not an ‘all comers affair’. Applicants undergo serious physical, educational and physiological examinations before they are recruited.

This is predicated on the fact that it is dangerous to arm a man who lacks a certain level of educational, physical and physiological capacity.

Civic education is fundamental in the training of security agents and personnel. Without civic education, it becomes impossible for security agents to appreciate the fundamental principles underlining the roles and functions of government in a democratic and civilized society.

A police man who has undergone serious basic civic education will never raise his gun, talk less of shooting an unarmed civilian, because that will be tantamount to raising a gun and shooting your employer. Security agents, especially the police should understand that the people and not the politicians are their employers.

A situation where most of the rank and file of our police force are functional illiterates who do not understand their roles in a civil society will only lead to more chaos in Nigeria

We look forward to the total overhaul of the Nigerian Police Force from its foundations, if we ever hope to create an effective security agency that will protect the weak rather than serve as its chief tormentor.