From Edwin Olofu, Kano
There was this story of a thief that was caught red-handed somewhere within the old city of Kano. His captors were so happy that this particular thief that had been terrorizing residents in the area had been caught at long last.
As usual, the thief was dragged to a nearby police post. On getting to the police post, it became palpable that the armed policemen on duty became jittery. Some almost took to their heels, while the brave became agile, ready for action.
Somehow, one of the policemen summoned the courage and asked what the matter was. As soon as one of the youths informed the policemen that they had caught a notorious thief, the policeman roared back in anger saying: “Is that why you are bringing this man here when we have a serious problem at hand? Look, take this man away and give him the beating of his life so that he would never steal anybody’s property again.”
The youths thereafter, took the thief to the Mai –unguwa (ward head) to decide on what to do with him. Not satisfied with the conduct of the police, the youths simply bowed their heads in disappointment. They were not happy that the policemen were abdicating their responsibility to punish the thief.
A scenario like this is now commonplace in virtually all police establishments in the Kano metropolis. Since the attack on some of the Nigeria Police formations in Kano state recently by members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, it has been observed that what is of utmost importance to the police is first and foremost how to preserve their lives.
As a result, police stations that used to be busy like the market place, especially within the metropolis have been deserted by the public.
Majority of the police stations are like grave yards isolated with very few officers around them mounting sentries with barricades surrounding their buildings while most of the policemen now wear mufti in a bid to beat the insurgents to their tricks. Rather than receive complainants, they have succeeded in scaring them away.
These days, members of the public are no longer welcome due to the fear of the unknown. Peoples Daily Weekend check showed that the police are no longer comfortable with the presence of civilians that are unidentifiable.
Some residents of Kano who commented on the issue accused the police of denying them access to the police station, while some are not willing to go close to the police or any security formations.
Peoples Daily Weekend also observed that the courts are equally empty because judges have abandoned their duty posts for the fear of Boko Haram.
A visit to the No Man’s Land court complex in the Kano metropolis which houses almost ten court rooms is an indication that all is not well. The very busy court is empty and also isolated.
Some police prosecutors who did not want to be mentioned expressed disappointment over the situation which is now adversely affecting their work lamenting that they don’t know when it will come to an end.
“You see the situation is bad. You can see for yourself, there is no judge here; this busy place is not like we used to know. I think some of my colleagues are not helping matters because they send complainants back when they attempt to report cases that is the problem,” he lamented.
It was the same story at the magistrate court in Gidan Murtala where the premises were seen empty when Peoples Daily Weekend called. Some of the messengers said since the attack, the place has been deserted.
Isiaku Garba, a resident of Naibawa area said a business partner owed him some money and he wanted to lodge a complaint in one of the police divisional headquarters, but to his surprise he was chased away by one of the officers before he got close to the main building of the station. According to him, the officer asked him to go and find a way of resolving his problem.
“When I approached the station, a police shouted on me that I stop, I was trying to explain to him that I wanted to report my business partner who failed to pay me my money but he said I should go and meet the man to resolve our dispute I was disappointed and I left.” Garba stated.
Commenting on the issue, Barrister Ishaku Garba a legal practitioner in Kano decried the level at which the dispensation of justice has suffered a setback in the state due to the problem.
According to him, “the dispensation of justice has been halted if not temporarily stopped in view of the fact that complainants cannot approach the police because all roads leading to police stations have been blocked. Police prosecutors cannot go to court to prosecute cases because they don’t want to be identified.
“Even in the high courts and magistrate courts alike, the policemen attached to the judges and magistrates have been withdrawn for the fear of their lives. One of my colleagues went to lodge a complaint on behalf of his client and he was sent back from the gate. That is what is happening. I have several criminal cases that have been adjourned Sine-die (indefinitely).” Garba lamented.
However, the Kano state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Musa Magaji Majiya debunked all the insinuations saying the crime rate has reduced in the state due to heavy security presence.
“We used to have over 8,000 police men in the state but because of this crisis over ten units of mobile police men and a number of military men have been deployed to this place. That is why the crime rate has reduced and you don’t have reported cases of robbery and other violent crimes. I want use this opportunity to call on the general public to continue to report cases to the Police. They should not be scared, they should go and identify themselves properly and the police are ready and willing to attend to them anytime.”
In the meantime, Kano residents are fervently praying that normalcy will return to the state, which remains the political and economic nerve center of northern Nigeria.
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