Since the morning after the #EndSARS protests, which left many police officers dead and a few of their stations razed by hoodlums, who hijacked an otherwise peaceful movement, the police, perhaps, out of sheer intimidation or the trauma of the attacks on their men, had left their duty posts unmanned.
With the space now left ungoverned, initial reports of attacks by hoodlums and petty thieves from the streets targeting motorists and unsuspecting commuters, often in traffic, seemed like no bid deal or something that would fizzle out in no time. But, as it is, their “senior colleagues”, believed to have looted police armoury in different places are gradually taking over the streets.
Given a recent attack on a Bullion Van, which left two dead in Ajah part of Lagos, the stories from the streets are even the more niggling! They hold something more ominous and disturbing for the ember months, particularly, December, which entertains a lot of festivities. In a nutshell, it is not looking good out there for the law-abiding citizens.
Although the police are gradually returning to duty, even though they choose the places they now go, the truth is they have to be everywhere and fast too, before the degeneration into anarchy goes beyond them. Above all, the police need the support of the people to get round the current ugly situation and vice versa, before the streets are deserted and left at the mercy of men of the underworld.
