Relating With The Nigeria Police Officer: Your Attitude

No doubt, policemen have a lawful duty to stop people at checkpoints, to ask questions, demand for identification and other documents or search persons or the vehicles they are driving. For some people, the police checkpoint is the best place to prove their might, how connected they are, or exhibit their oratory prowess. They would rant and rant in answer to just a simple question put before them by the police. That is a big mistake, because in the process they not only waste their time but sometimes end up in trouble with the officer. Some would violently dare armed policemen. There are days they may be lucky to get away with such behavior, and may consider themselves as fearless or heroic but that would definitely not be always.

There are times when such people have provoked police officers beyond their patience level and ended up with severe beating with boots and gun butts. In worst cases, in a bid to show their strength, they would fight to wrestle the gun from the officer and in the process it could go off and kill them, an incident commonly referred to as accidental discharge.

I would like to plead that the checkpoint is not a place to prove that you are a macho man. It is not the right place to fight for recognition. Even if you want to claim your right, you have to do it with wisdom because the officer you are dealing with may have lost any sense of reasoning or respect due to alcohol or drugs use. Whoever told you that a police officer cannot be drunk or get high with drugs? Even if he were not on drugs or alcohol, who told you that the officer cannot tell a genuine threat from senseless bravado. The officer would have come across people like you who because of their wealth feel they can threaten their way around only for them to buckle under a simple identity trick by the policeman and turn out to be a wanted criminal.

It is very wrong and off course very dangerous to argue or dare a policeman on lawful or unlawful duty, whether armed or not. Some are called “Kill and go”, don’t be a victim. Be street wise!