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The Welfare And Well-being Of Nigerian Police Are Non-negotiable-Jide Ojo

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Mr. Jide Ojo is the Executive Director of OJA Development Consult. He is also an author, a columnist with the Punch Newspaper, and a renowned Public Affairs analyst with over 30 years of experience.

In this exclusive interview with the News Rain Nigeria, he highlighted what the Government needs to do for Youths to leave the streets.

Kindly give details of yourself, starting with your name, your profession, and the years of experience.

My name is Jide Ojo, Executive Director of OJA Development Consult, author, a columnist with The PUNCH, and a renowned Public Affairs Analyst with over 30 years’ experience in media advocacy.

Challenges if there’s any?

Yes, there are challenges in my work as a development consultant and media practitioner. There is a general challenge of low patronage due to a bad economy and the fact that in spite of many years of media and legislative advocacies, things appear to move from bad to worse especially in terms of good governance and delivery of dividends of democracy.

The Welfare And Well-being Of Nigerian Police Are Non-negotiable-Jide Ojo

The ENDSARS protest that is currently facing the country, what is your stake on it?

The #EndSARS protest is a noble course. The country has been under protracted police brutality, extortion, and repression. According to Albert Camus “Rebellion cannot exist without a feeling that somewhere, in some ways, you’re justified. The youths of Nigeria have been pushed to the wall due to wrong profiling by some bad elements in Nigerian police.

These bad eggs have the erroneous belief that any young persons with dreadlocks, driving posh cars with laptops and smartphones must be internet scammers or what is known on the street as “Yahoo-Yahoo” boys.

Truth be told, not all police officers and men are bad or involved in extortion. However, the majority of them, particularly, men of the disbanded Special anti-robbery Squad are criminally minded. The disbandment is in order but Nigerians need to know that the problem at hand is a systemic one that needs drastic solutions.

Don’t you think the protest has been hijacked?

It would seem so as there are different political interests at play. The protest has been politicized. There is already an altercation between the All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party on one hand and APC and Conference of United Political Parties (CUPP) on the other hand.

What is your opinion on the attack on some state Governors and the protesters by suspected political thugs?

The attacks on Governors Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State and Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State are very unfortunate. It speaks to the earlier thought about the hijack of the protest. The initiators of #EndSARS are very civil and cultured and have been going on the protests peacefully. Now, the thugs are cashing in on the protests to cause mayhem. It is very disheartening.

And lastly what do you think is the way forward?

Comprehensive Police reform. There must be accountability and transparency in the operations of the Nigerian police. Standard Operating Procedures must be strictly adhered to. The welfare and well-being of officers and men of Nigerian Police are non-negotiable.

Reports of various investigative panels should be implemented. Corruption in Nigerian police should be anathema and eradicated. Police Service Commission should speed up issues of recruitment, promotion, and discipline in the force.

Abuse of office by Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies or security operatives must be promptly addressed and redressed.

There must be compensation for victims of police brutality.

Above all, good governance is imperative to stop the brewing agitations and revolt of the Nigerian masses