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For struggle, Solidarity and Socialism in Nigeria |
Committee for a Workers' International
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Socialist Democracy September - October 2003
AGEGE NCP PROTESTS POLICE HARASSMENTBy Toyin Raheem The Agege local government chapter of the National Conscience Party (NCP) has protested against incessant police harassment and extortion of money from residents of the area. In a petition sent to the area commander of Area G police command, the party said extortion of money and harassment of innocent people by the police is in the area now taking an alarming rate. The policemen now make life unbearable for people who work or reside in Agege and those who pass through Agege in their day-to-day activities. The policemen have now taken it as a custom to enter into residential premises, shops and artisans' workshops, conduct searches indiscriminately, arrest and detain people against whom no known crime has been established. Such illegally arrested people are only set free after collecting huge sums of money from them. It is now a daily affair to find some mobile policemen in front of government college, Agege and another set of policemen at Alagba round about extorting money from motorists. These policemen turned themselves into despots and their mode of operation is nothing less of terrorism. Guns are pointed at drivers. They caused traffic hold-up and passersby, passengers and drivers dare not say anything for fear of their lives. The "Okada" riders who carry just only one passenger are not spared. None of them passes without parting with at least N20. This phenomenon is not limited to these areas mentioned alone; it goes on like that in Dopemu, Capitol Junction, Alfa Nla and Pen cinema. While we do not agree with people who give this N20 note, majority of them will not be blamed if one is opportuned to witness how these policemen intimidate them with guns and more so, we are all living witnesses to the number of people that have been killed by policemen because they failed to part with N20. Again on Tuesday July 29, 2003, six policemen entered a mechanic workshop at Ashipa/Omotoye Street, Orile-Agege supposedly to conduct routine investigation. Despite the fact that these policemen could not find any irregularity after examining their logbooks and records, they still arrested three apprentices by name Nurudeen Ogunbowale, Friday Ojo and Musulumi Lawal. They were taken to Abattoir police station and locked up in police cell. The apprentices' master was forced to part with huge sums of money at the police station before the three illegally detained young men were released. Also on Friday 1st August, 2003, another team of policemen invaded the premises of 162, Ipaja Road, Agbotikuyo, Agege and arrested two young men, Rufus Olalere and Adeola Kudeti who work in a barbing salon located within the premises. They were taken to Elere police station and detained for almost four hours and were only released after being forced to pay a sum of N1,000 (One thousand naira) The police harassment of innocent citizens cannot be divorced from the dehumanizing condition under which the policemen operate. Most time, their salaries are not paid on time while facilities to work with are either dilapidated and or not available. Mobile policemen are drafted from far north and east without provision for their accommodation, and their allowances not regularly paid. It is all this bulk of pent up frustration and anger that they pass to the innocent working masses who are as frustrated as police. "Evil triumphs when good men do nothing". We, the Agege Local Government chapter of NCP will not fold our hands and watch our people who have been over impoverished by government of the day to be continuously harassed, illegally detained, extorted and treated inhumanly. We are therefore calling on the relevant police authorities to take decisive action to stop these illegal acts. While our party, the NCP is committed to a better welfare package and salaries for men and women of Nigerian police force and Nigerian workers, and we are committed to the struggle to abolish poverty and to create a better society in which all Nigerians will have access to social justice and good quality of life, we shall not hesitate to use all political and legal means at our disposal to stop brutalisation of innocent working people and youths. The policemen should see the working masses as people of their class, suffering same harsh economic conditions; they should therefore, through an organised form, direct their anger against our common enemy the capitalist, anti-people PDP government. The labour movement should also fight for better working conditions for the rank and file of the police, with prompt payment of salaries and allowances, decent accommodation for all, and the right for form a police trade union to represent their interests like other workers.
Socialist Democracy September - October 2003
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