Itz in our hands now to report such Illegal Checkpoint as soon as we spot them

http://www.tribune.com.ng/25102008/news/news1.html

Very welcoming news, now it is in the hands of the citizens to act, but will they? Also what are the avenues present for reporting such illegal checkpoints? Is this just going to be a case again whereby there are laws; everyone breaks them; you report the defaulters; nothing happens; business as usual? Isn't taking of "thanksgiving" by police officers at check points illegal? Yet they do it, where do you report that? When you do are you even taken seriously? If there is a proper avenue for discipline of such illegalities then it is indeed a very welcome development. The Nigerian Police force is yet another Nigerian failed institution that needs reorientation and open heart surgery.

Gates don open for armed robbers.
Give the police the treatment their counterparts get in other developed world and watch crime and check point disappear in no distant time.

Okiro seem to be under pressure and so confused.

I can never deny the fact that the nigerian policemen are one of the most annoying set of people in nigeria, but i will choose them anyday over armed robbers.
Nigeria is not fit to go without checkpoints for now until the right things are done to raise the standard of living in the country. One wont have to rob banks to buy cars, when his 1 month salary can afford get him one.

If Okiro's order is carried out, i'm afraid we will be hearing more from nigerian dare devils; the armed robbers.

nuzo:

I can never deny the fact that the nigerian policemen are one of the most annoying set of people in nigeria, but i will choose them anyday over armed robbers.
Nigeria is not fit to go without checkpoints for now until the right things are done to raise the standard of living in the country. One wont have to rob banks to buy cars, when his 1 month salary can afford get him one.

If Okiro's order is carried out, i'm afraid we will be hearing more from nigerian dare devils; the armed robbers.

@nuzo, while the fear for the increase in armed robberies is quite a valid and understandable one , i think you are stating this making the assumption that the only way to battle armed robbers is through check points. I am afraid i will have to disagree with you since armed robbers have also been known to rob people using the guise of checkpoints as well. Checkpoints in this case i assume is the whole culture of blocking the road and collecting money. The police can still have a presence on the roads via patrol, stationed groups, etc, can't they? Won't this also be an even more effective means of combating armed robbery since they won't be predictably sationed while armed robbers carry out their activities? Also i think you are making the assumption that the fundamental reasons the police have been using checkpoints for the past years has been as a means to combat armed robbery, you assume that such has been the intent as opposed to just collecting money. Guess you haven't heard of police officers who mount check points (i.e. road blocks if we are being blunt), only to run inside bush to quickly change into civillian outfits in record time i might add when the real "men of the highway" arrive?

@ topic

In the words of my fellow nigerians - 'na today'?

shotster50:

@ topic

In the words of my fellow nigerians - 'na today'?

Okiro, who dispatched a wireless message to all the commissioners, noted that the checkpoints were bringing very bad image to the police, as some fraudulent policemen had converted them to extorting money from motorists.

The IGP lamented that in a day he got more than 100 complaints on the telephone, about the illegal activities of some unscrupulous policemen on the highways, inspite of his earlier directives that such checkpoints be dismantled.

no be today o

that Okiro fellow is the most useless IGP we've had so far!!!

ROFLMAO!!!! Na true, no be today!!

I do hope this time around, it works. I mean in the past we have heard similar news only to have these checkpoints coming back in another form. I hope people start reporting but considering most of these agencies rarely answer emails and phone calls, only God can tell at this point how this will work.

Rather than the usual practice of setting up police toll gates every 50 meters on Nigerian roads, there ought to be one main toll gate at the start and end points of all highways in Nigeria where motorists can donate lump sums equivalent to three month's working salary, such that no further fees would be expected until the motorists reach the termination point of that same highway.

In this way, payment defaulters can be dragged out of their vehicles and shot in one or two central locations on each highway, rather than the present situation where capital punishments are inflicted at random points along the road, creating numerous corpse disposal logistical problems for the police officers whose time should be more effectively devoted to collecting and sharing cash in a more organized and civilized manner.

Jakumo:

Rather than the usual practice of setting up police toll gates every 50 meters on Nigerian roads, there ought to be one main toll gate at the start and end points of all highways in Nigeria where motorists can donate lump sums equivalent to three month's working salary, such that no further fees would be expected until the motorists reach the termination point of that same highway.

In this way, payment defaulters can be dragged out of their vehicles and shot in one or two central locations on each highway, rather than the present situation where capital punishments are inflicted at random points along the road, creating numerous corpse disposal logistical problems for the police officers whose time should be more effectively devoted to collecting and sharing cash in a more organized and civilized manner.

You really should think about applying for Okiro's position. I am gradually getting convinced that you are the person needed to put back order in the Nigerian police force and streamline it to make "offering collection" more effective and orderly. Your idea about "thanksgiving per highway" is pretty innovative and will definately reduce the bureacracy involved in "tax collection", send it to the appropriate authorities for consideration. 

nuzo:

I can never deny the fact that the nigerian policemen are one of the most annoying set of people in nigeria, but i will choose them anyday over armed robbers.
Nigeria is not fit to go without checkpoints for now until the right things are done to raise the standard of living in the country. One wont have to rob banks to buy cars, when his 1 month salary can afford get him one.

If Okiro's order is carried out, i'm afraid we will be hearing more from nigerian dare devils; the armed robbers.

It's very short sighted to believe that checkpoint has anything to do with checkmating armed robbers, in fact checkpoint had been grave yard of policemen and women against robbers.
90% of policemen short down by robbers happened at checkpoints because robbers can see a checkpint and know what to expect but police will never knew what was inside a car until bullet start hitting them.

But police kept on with checkpoint because it's their own bank without deposit, so lucrative that they are willing to risk their lives anytime they mount one harrassing innocent people.

If you want to fight robbers you have to invest in the population and the police itself.

1. You can't fight crime without the public as the eyes/ears for information for police as police are not magicians
2. Establish a crime database record of crime
3. Estblish a 21st centrury forensic section within the police
4. Make police mobile with road worthy automobiles equiped with 21st century communicating gadgets
5. Eliminate illiterates from the force and hire people that want a career rather than just a job that is going.
6. Stop parading arrested persons before the media as criminals even before any trial.
7. POLICE has no business beating up any person even criminal caught in the act, that is the job of the court to punish a criminal.