The Role Of Technology In Combating Corruption In Nigeria: A CASE STUDY OF 'POLICING THE POLICE'

The term ‘Police’ should automatically bring succour, secure relief and safety reassurance to every citizen. Unfortunately, in our country, this is not so. When the average Nigerian citizen thinks of the Nigerian Police Force, he immediately thinks of bribery, corruption, unwarranted harassment, stray bullets, molestation, accidental deaths, ineptitude, mediocrity and general lawlessness.  Basically, what comes to his mind is the opposite of what the police should actually stand for. How unfortunate. How sad. How despicable.
 

'The Police Is Your Friend', goes the popular mantra.. Well, to most Nigerians, that's not exactly true.. The recent disgraceful secret video recording of a shameless Nigerian Police officer unabashedly soliciting for bribe has rightly been met with huge public outcry mainly by the international community. The vast majority of Nigerians, however, received the news with an indignant shrug of the shoulder and a helpless shake of the head. To be quite honest, they can scarcely be blamed for such a reaction, as such disgraceful occurrences have sadly become a part and parcel of their everyday lives. It is something we as citizens have been forced to inhumanely live with. It is a bribe-or-nothing culture. To most Nigerians, this particular episode has garnered public attention simply because the victim was resourceful and lucky enough to discreetly videotape the whole shenanigan.

Now, this is where technology comes in. The role of said technology is the hub of this article. If we can all agree that the ugly episode above came into public light because it was videotaped, then at the very least, such seeming remedy is something we can grasp on and pursue, as ambiguous as it sounds. With the proliferation of affordable technology in the shape of smart phones, video cameras, recording devices and ubiquitous social media, the Nigerian populace no longer have to sit on their hands and shrug their shoulders to police inadequacies. Shaming and exposing these bad elements in our police force has suddenly become do-able. A trend has been set. Ironically enough, our unfortunate victim above has lent us a fortunate template. The least we can do is to follow it as it contravenes no law.

In much saner climes, the police are a beacon of incorruptibility and premier upholders of the law. They know their role, play it, and the citizens appreciate them for it. Also, helpfully, the government provides an enabling environment and befitting training facilities which in turn churns out the caliber of personnel necessary for a competent police force. Amongst other things, the government understands its task brief and dutifully carries out the obligations it owes its citizens.  In our society, sadly, the opposite is the case.  We the citizens provide our own infrastructure. We provide our own electricity. We provide our own security. Now, what’s next? Policing our own Police Force, perhaps? Sounds absurd, but as we all gleaned from that shameful video, it’s not entirely impossible.

Hmm… Policing the Police.. An alien-sounding concept, true, but at this point, it’s seemingly all we've got. We should stop helplessly resigning ourselves to our collective fates whenever we hear of the usual police mis-steps. The fact that we are used to these acts certainly do NOT justify them. If the government has failed to re-structure the police force, then instead of tolerating mediocrity and ineptitude, the least the citizens can do is police the police force. It is OUR police force, after all. Thus, when around members of the police force, we should be courteous and supportive; however, in our courteousness and supportiveness, let us also know our rights, say no to bribes, endeavour to observantly note erring officers’ details, unobtrusively video tape or voice record any shady dealings, and positively use social media to our advantage in shaming and exposing the bad elements. Hopefully, due to these proddings, little by little, our police force can be purged of its corruption and incompetence.

Thankfully, the erring officer in that viral clip is getting his comeuppance. He has been summarily dismissed from the police force and rightfully condemned. We fully expect the long arm of the law to grasp him and for him to be charged and prosecuted. His should serve as a deterrent to other officers of his ilk whose disgraceful acts have put a huge dent in the image of Nigeria to the international community and turned the Nigerian police force and by extension, the Nigerian citizens, into a laughing stock. All corrupt police officers should know that the tables have turned and the status-quo has changed. Every Nigerian citizen is now a potential 'police' to the police, and there is no place to hide.  The bad eggs will be caught, shamed and flushed out. If the Police force wishes to be friends to the citizens, well, they will have to earn it!

One day, whenever a Nigerian citizen thinks of the Nigerian police force, he will smile an appreciative smile and go to bed with a safe reassurance. Hopefully, that day is in the near future… It starts with you.