A video of a police officer attached as a security detail to Dr Nimota Nihilola Akanbi who was recently appointed as the pioneer Chairman of the National Secondary School Education Commission (NSSEC) has sparked a lot of negative reactions and it is putting the name of the Nigerian police force to ridicule.
In the viral video, the police orderly in his full police regalia was seen carrying a tray of food for the “Oga Madam”, following the Madam behind while the “Oga madam” was just exchanging pleasantries in an event over the weekend in Ilorin, Kwara state.
This act of VIPs turning their police or security protocols to domestic staff, using them to do menial jobs and house chores other than providing security for them which is the primary reason they were attached to the individual is a no, no and should be highly condemned. A police officer is a security officer representing the uniform he wears and the Nigeria police force and should never be seen in his police outfit engaging in chores other than providing securities for the VIP for the pleasure of the VIP.
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In no where in s.4 of the police act which provided for the general duties of the police and by extension the general duties of a policeman was it provided that a police officer attached to any VIP as an security orderly should be turned into a house boy or a “boy boy”, used for menial chores or used as the VIP pleases.
For the sake of emphasis, s.4 of the police act will be represented here, thus:
S.4. General duties of the police
The police shall be employed for the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehen- sion of offenders, the preservation of law and order, the protection of life and property and the due enforcement of all laws and regulations with which they are directly charged, and shall perform such military duties within or outside Nigeria as may be required of them by, or under the authority of this or any other Act.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Police Service Commission (PSC) should start withdrawing the police officers attached to some VIPs that are subjected to this kind of slavery and abuse. Just because you are privileged to be a high ranking member of the society should not warrant you to subject a fellow human who is same age bracket with you who is just attached to you to carry out his statutory duties ( of providing security for you) to this form of slavery.
Everything is wrong with this act.
It is wrong from every angle. Your security details attached to you as a VIP is a privilege and not your right, they are for your security and not to do menial jobs and domestic chores for you. When you subject them to do some chores for you other than providing security, it amounts to abuse and mental slavery. Some VIPs even asked their police orderlies to do their laundry and do house cleaning; God forbid!
If you as a VIP need a domestic staff please employ one and stop subjecting the security forces of the nation to such abysmal ridicule and abuse.
The good news is that it was reported later today that the Police commission has summoned the officer who was seen carrying the food tray for his madam in the viral video. The police authorities also issued a strict warning that its operatives attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs) all over the country to stop serving purposes other than providing security coverage for the individuals against security threats.