Breaking News
POLICE EXTORTION ON OLD AVIELE–AUCHI ROAD
Reports of alleged extortion by some police officers and local vigilantes along the old Aviele–Auchi Road have raised serious concerns. Motorists and motorcyclists reportedly face demands for money, prompting public reactions and confrontations.
While such allegations deserve proper investigation, another question deserves attention: Have we become so eager to demand accountability that we have forgotten the importance of maturity and respect?
In today’s Nigeria, it appears that a smartphone camera can turn anyone into a judge, prosecutor, and commander. Imagine a civilian ordering a serving officer to sit on the floor in the name of accountability. Is that the proper way to address alleged misconduct? Let us be clear: wearing a uniform does not place anyone above the law. Any officer found guilty of extortion should face appropriate disciplinary action. However, demanding accountability is different from deliberately humiliating an officer in public.
What if such a confrontation escalates into violence? What if an officer loses control and opens fire? The consequences could be tragic, leaving innocent people dead and families devastated. Officers must exercise restraint, while civilians must understand that challenging authority does not require provoking a dangerous confrontation.
Social media has also turned serious incidents into public entertainment. A video appears on Facebook, and before the full circumstances are established, people become judges and deliver their verdicts. Recording misconduct can serve the public interest, but a video clip may not tell the whole story.
Respect, however, must never become an excuse for extortion. Citizens should not be forced to pay unlawful demands, and officers must not abuse their authority. Voluntary appreciation for an officer’s service is entirely different from money obtained through intimidation.
Idris Rufai,
