There is a motto displayed at the front of most police station in my country "police is your friend", never knew who came up with such obnoxious statement but growing up the thought of it made a lot of us feel safe till we got exposed to the true reality of what the statement means. Based on my own perspective of the responsibility of the armed forces most especially the police force is to ensure a safe environment for the citizens of a state by reducing the spate of criminal activities. Ensuring everyone abides by the provisions made by the constitution but then it seems we have fallen on the wrong side of history when those who are meant to keep us safe are the reasons why we are in danger.
Suddenly the essence of law changed, it has become a tool for those with power and authority to enslave those without it. I mean how great would it feel to be a victim of a crime and the first thing that comes to your mind is to report it to the police station but it is not the case around here anymore. The rate at which a victim is turned into a suspect in police station is so alarming, as long as the criminal knows the right person and has the right amount, he/she will end up walking free leaving the victim in shambles. Most criminal cases are sorted before they get to court, what hope does an average man have?
Growing up in Nigeria, I have experienced a lot of atrocities committed by men in uniform, can't really say I ever trusted men in uniform once in my life because as a Nigerian fearing them came first before I even knew what trust feels like. The corrupt act of our armed forces grows stronger every day, I mean I have witnessed a lot brutality and cruelty from armed forces in my country to the extent that I have lost count. I have written about few of them I my previous post. Is it when I almost got shot during the aftermath riot of endsars protest/ Lekki massacre or when a close family friend of mine was falsely arrested or on many occasions when I was illegally stopped and searched as a student just because I was presumed to be a Yahoo boy or when our neighbourhood was robbed and we reported the situation to the nearest police station and we were informed that we had to pay first before they could take any action.
I have seen the true colours of men in uniform in my country on different occasions and I'm not the only one. Every Nigerian at one point in time has experience their share of police cruelty. So who ever came up with the idea of "Police is your friend" wasn't talking about the police men in my country probably in an alternate universe where men in uniform righteously fulfill their duties because in my own side of the continent when we see men in uniforms we don't look up to them like friends or saviour, we see them as criminals and we try as much as possible not to have anything to do with them. I guess conspiracy theories such as this are created to promote image of specific entities in the society, serving as a cover up for what truly is just like democracy.
This write-up was inspired by weekly featured content titled "Just another conspiracy theory" in hive learners community.
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