Extra judicial killings: Police need psychiatric solution

The Christmas Day killing of a Lagos-based lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, by an officer of the Nigeria Police at a checkpoint in the Ajah area of Lagos State, Nigeria, is one out of the too many police brutality and extrajudicial killings of the citizens of Nigeria who they are supposed to be protecting.   Between January and […]

The Christmas Day killing of a Lagos-based lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, by an officer of the Nigeria Police at a checkpoint in the Ajah area of Lagos State, Nigeria, is one out of the too many police brutality and extrajudicial killings of the citizens of Nigeria who they are supposed to be protecting. 

 Between January and September 2021 alone, 164 cases of police–civilian incidents were recorded according to Global Rights Advocates for Sustainable Justice, while 271 incidents were documented by Amnesty International between March to June of 2021.   

 Whenever these barbaric killings or manhandling of Nigerian civilians happened, people continue to clamour for law enforcement reform and training of the police personnel. It is not out of context that the Nigeria Police need total reform and training to make it more vibrant and be able to perform optimally as seen in other countries of the world, but the extrajudicial killings and harassment of civilians  being perpetrated by the police personnel in Nigeria is not about police officers not been trained. 

 It is a known fact that during the recruitment exercise of the personnel into the Nigeria Police, the recruits always underwent a series of training and activities at the Police College. Are the recruited police officers in Nigeria during orientation and training not being taught or educated on how to relate with the civilians or the appropriate way to use their guns? 

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 I am sure there are no police personnel in Nigeria that did not pass through the Police College’s training. Also, no police officer is trained to be carrying and using AK 47 guns anyhow as they like including shooting at the civilians that they are supposed to be protecting. 

 In Nigeria, police officers are seen going around with AK-47 guns on our streets, inside public transportation and even at beer parlours. 

 Nigerian police officers are seen on the road pointing guns at bus conductors or drivers who refused to pay N100 at the bus garage or checkpoint. There are many reported cases of police officers killing bus conductors who had refused to pay whenever money was demanded. 

Whenever there is an argument between police officers and civilians in Nigeria, the next thing is for the officer to point a gun at that civilian and in the process, the civilian is killed or wounded. 

The men in uniform that were trained to be protectors of lives and properties of the citizens have now turned to agents of death. These dastardly acts happen occasionally or at irregular intervals. 

Looking at the rate at which these killings are happening in Nigeria and the reasons for the killings which oftentimes is just little argument that ensues between the policemen and the civilian victims, one can easily conclude that those uniformed men are insane with mental health. 

If not that they have mental health issues, how can a right-thinking and normal human being with sound mental health points guns to shoot and kill citizens who are not criminals, bandits, terrorists or gangsters just because of ordinary arguments or altercations? 

The poverty level in Nigeria is alarming; the majority of the citizens are battling with depression and the depression turning to mental health and personnel of the Nigeria police are part and parcel of the larger Nigeria society. 

In order to put an end to the incessant killings of Nigerians by the men in uniforms, the Nigerian Government should as a matter of urgency subject all police personnel from the middle ranks to constable to psychiatric test and examinations to ascertain the level of their mental health. 

Also, henceforth, psychiatric tests and examinations should be parts of the prerequisite at entry level into the Nigeria Police. 

Complimentary to the above, the Nigerian Government should increase the salaries of the police personnel; renovate all the barracks across the country; build additional barracks; restructure the Nigeria Police Force as well as train them. 

If all the above are followed, it is expected that Nigeria will be boasting of vibrant, well-behaved and people-friendly police personnel and the incessant killings of the citizens by overzealous police officers will be a thing of the past. 

Agunloye Adewunmi Bashiru, can be reached via [email protected]