Two years ago, Nigeria’s police Inspector General, Tafa Balogun, came into office promising to clamp down on corrupt police officials.
Concerned by the poor image of the force, Balogun set out an eight-point strategy in April 2002 in a bid to revamp the department. This plan included the creation of a special squad with a countrywide mandate to target corrupt police.
Within three months, the team had arrested 234 officers for bribery and extortion — and recovered about R4 700.
All in all, 800 policemen around Nigeria have been dismissed for extortion since Balogun’s arrival and another 65 have found themselves in court.
Chris Alape, police public relations officer, says: “We have decided to fight corruption in our organisation and nobody will stop the IG [inspector general] from ensuring that the cankerworm is brought to an end.”
But, the arrests and dismissals do not appear to be making a real dent in the levels of police corruption in Lagos, as far as extortion of money from motorists is concerned. Lagos is the commercial centre of Nigeria.
Drivers who refuse to pay the tolls demanded by corrupt police are often delayed or beaten up. Some have even been shot dead by trigger-happy officers for refusing to pay the bribe — customarily set at 20 naira (about R1).
“They still collect money, even [though] some of them get arrested,” says a minibus driver who gave his name simply as Taju. “They always say the other ones [who got arrested] are unlucky.”
He added, “Apart from the mobile policemen who mount road blocks at night, traffic wardens have devised a way of collecting money through area boys [touts] at each bus stop. We pay for load [picking up passengers at the bus stops]. Some of the area boys are those policemen [who were] dismissed from the force.”
The National Union of Road Transport Workers has sent a delegation to Balogun to discuss the matter. But, certain analysts maintain that the only way of addressing the problem is by transforming the way Nigerian society as a whole views corruption.
Folu Olamiti, a social commentator, says: “The war against corruption in the force will not be won only with punitive measures against officers and men found culpable. There is also the need for a change of attitude among members of the public who are inclined to commit offences and bribe their way out of trouble.”
“Some of these drivers operate very rickety vehicles, some without [the] necessary vehicle documents and headlamps,” he added.
Alape agrees: “We need the support of Nigerians … The menace is a societal thing, which needs to be fought at all levels with good government policy.”
The spokesperson said authorities are trying to find innovative ways of improving the police force. These include a proposal for the establishment of a Nigerian Police Trust Fund, which has already been before the National Assembly. The fund will help provide good accommodation and benefits for policemen — and it will be managed by NGOs and the administration.
Junior officers have told Police Affairs Minister Broderick Bozimo that police engage in extortion because of frustration at their low pay and poor living conditions.
Inspector Michael Attah, who has worked in the force for 28 years, says: “Official barrack accommodation is virtually non-existent or nothing to write home about.”
Others have complained of a lack of insurance cover that is inappropriate given the dangerous nature of their work.
Nigeria’s police force at present consists of about 295 000 officers, although the government says there are plans to raise this number to 577 600.
Before May 1999, when the present administration was inaugurated, junior policemen earned about R270 a month. However, their salaries have since been increased to about R680.
The government has also approved almost R51-million for the construction and development of police barracks across the country, as well as a five-year plan aimed at helping the force to perform its duties more effectively. — IPS