The daring and coordinated attacks on police officers and their facilities have become a subject of worry to many Nigerians lately. No fewer than 20 police stations have been attacked across the South-east and South-South regions of the country in the last three months by unidentified hoodlums.
Asides from destroying facilities belonging to security operatives, many officers have lost their lives in these deadly attacks.
While the pattern of the attacks may not have immediately suggested a common motive and correlation, the frequency and blatant inanity of these attacks comes at a time when the overall national security architecture is stretched to its limits by the activities of insurgents, bandits, terrorists and other criminal perpetrators.
Hence, it calls for concern by every well-meaning Nigerian. POLITICS NIGERIA understands that the police are blaming members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for most of the attacks but the group has long denied any involvement in the pathetic lawlessness.
A security expert, Timothy Avele, said the reason why the menace persists is because “there’s a lack of trust between the police and the general public before now. These new attacks will only widen the gap and lack of trust even more and that will not be good especially for the public in terms of police swift response to criminal activities and how cases are handled.”
The attacks, no doubt, could trigger general apathy in the ranks of the police and affect how its officers and men carry out their duties of protecting lives and property. POLITICS NIGERIA understands that another possible catalyst is the recent #EndSARS protests which exposed cases of police brutality across the country.
The security of the nation is, however, in danger. For instance, during one of the several attacks in Imo State, the gunmen hijacked several vehicles from their owners and used them to carry out different attacks.
They also helped in the release of prison inmates and suspects from police custody. Sadly, the ammunition stolen from the police stations are also being used against members of the public. While the police haven’t performed woefully in their response to the crisis, they can do better by ensuring that there are community partnership efforts to gain the support of law-abiding citizens in the fight against attackers.
On the part of citizens, each one should tell another about the danger associated with supporting these attackers.
The government must also understand that the welfare of security agents should equally be of concern and that political ambitions can only be realised in a safe and secure country.
