BEFORE this year, the road block was the main plank of police response to security enforcement challenges in this nation.

Whenever there was any incident, be it crime or robbery on the road, in  the village or city, their first reaction was to mount a road block which would quickly be converted to traffic blockage, to check vehicle particulars, cargo by vehicles, road worthiness, all to ensure that as many people as possible parted with money.

Road blocks were so abused that they acquired the name of Police toll gates, and worse still you could get away for as low as N20! The commuters were their main victims. At a stage, I was tempted to think that the South Eastern bound commuters were special targets of these police men.

For example on the February 14, this year, between Shagamu and Ore towns along the expressway, I counted 25 road blocks which meant that we had a road block almost every five kilometres or so, yet robbery, and accidents never abated along this road, no thanks to the corruption in the Ministry of Works which refused to fix that road.

Often these road blocks by their nature and location would cause a road accident, claiming lives and these officers would simply relocate to a more convenient spot along the same road!

There was a situation, in November last year, when I thought I was being pursued by robbers, and I sped ahead to a road block around Ajebandele Area of Ogun State, alighted from the vehicle and announced to the gun-carrying officers that robbers were pursuing me.

To my huge surprise, they jumped into the bush, and I followed them, to discover a clean and clear bush track that led to a very safe haven near the road!

Road blocks did not help the police themselves. Often, robbers would run into these road blocks spray bullets at them killing some and wounding others, just because their vigilance was compromised due to the tolls! The image of our police force suffered on account of the abuse of road blocks.

It is against this background that the scrapping and ban of road blocks by the IGP across the nation must be commended, supported and encouraged by all.

In the past, whenever road blocks were banned, robbery and crime rate would suddenly shoot up badly, the police boss would panic, and restore them, thereby allowing security checks to relapse into business as usual. For the first time in decades, we have an IGP who has put his foot down.

We have lived here without multiplicity of road blocks for six months and running. Nigerians are happier and freer for it, and we thank God for using this IGP, as we are now getting used to driving without road blocks.

Those of us who drive regularly from Lagos to the South East are most indebted to the IGP for this bold and good stand, which should be maintained till it beds or sinks  into our psyche as a nation.

It is against this background that I believe that this new and proper shift in paradigm in the police must be supported and encouraged to keep the force busy, engaged, effective, effectual,friendly and sustained in their job without road blocks. We have to be honest here because policing is a very serious business.

One reality and fact is that road blocks provided money for those in the system. The officers on the beat on the roads made returns to their bosses in the offices, and now that this huge source of money and income is removed, the police and government must realistically put in place an increase in salary income for the force personnel and build confidence and integrity into the system.

The force needs to earn well and adequately to deliver effective security nation wide.I still see police men on bathroom slippers at some points along the road.These elements who lack self image must be retrained and remoulded for good or flushed from the Force.

The Police uniform allowance just has to be increased, the appearance of a nation’s police says volumes about that nation.I do not believe we are among the poorest nations in the world, and modestly dressed police at all times and occasions will be good for our image as a nation.

Police barracks anywhere in this country present squalid and badly run down environment, overcrowded, unhealthy, and harsh places to live in.

Good housing must be their priority now.We are aware that a good housing policy was started but stalled for some reasons which must now be resuscitated and pursued with this new vigor through the elimination of blockages to that policy and plan.

A situation therefore, where the police contractors are pushed to complain publicly must be resolved with speed. Let the old things pass away and let new things start. The IGP, I believe, is very equal to this.

The police facilities and equipment status must be improved, increased and enhanced. The time for effective and effectual forensics have come.

How many forensic laboratory facilities do we have? With the desired change from the arrest, search, detain and interrogate mentality of the force to people friendly investigative policing, the need for adequate forensic laboratories and their full complements have become more imperative.

Fully equipped, properly staffed forensic laboratories should be located carefully in at least each of the six geo-political zones of this country for a start.

Police crime prevention information gathering system must be expanded and enhanced, with established and certified contacts in hotels, drinking parlours, churches, mosques and meeting places.

These contacts could be drawn and built from Okada and Keke riders, registered state or LGA taxi operators, airport taxis, commercial bus drivers, village heads, traditional rulers, community leaders. Civil servants, oil sector workers, political parties, to name a few.

These centres should work and serve  in fusion with the state and federal policing systems. All hands must be on deck now to assist the police to give us a secure nation.

More than ever before our police will need a massive campaign to showcase them as people friendly. This conscious and deliberate friendly police campaign should be driven through LGAs, states, educational institutions, civil services, using the all sections of the media.

The police must work to change the mindset of police officers to a people friendly force to be effective in the face of new challenges in security provision at this time.

There is need for properly equipped and staffed police information and databases for crime, criminals and those with criminal tendencies. There should be an information centre per LGA in liaison with the divisional police offices in the area.

We have come to the realisation that humans appreciate a thing more when they lose it. The lessons to our nation from the security challenges of these times, especially in the North of Nigeria has made it clear that insecurity is the railroad into poverty for any society.

If we must build a virile and prosperous nation, civil security must be made a very serious business and the police and other civil law enforcement works in Nigeria must be made as attractive as the best we can afford. Whatever any may say or think, a tattered law enforcement unit will provide a tattered security enforcement and arrangement.

God help us !

Mr. CLEMENT UDEGBE, a lawyer, wrote from Lagos.