Mrs Odumosu: When a Country Has Two Systems

The news that the Nigeria Police Force rescued Mrs Folashade Odumosu, the wife of a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Hakeem Odumosu, was a relief to many Nigerians as it revalidated the fact that the Nigeria Police have the capacity to crack and successfully resolve any case, no matter how difficult.

What worries most Nigerians is the fact that the police only demonstrate this capacity in cases involving high-profile personalities and feign incompetence or pretend to lack capacity when the common men are affected.

Mrs. Odumosu was kidnapped on January 16 at the entrance of her residence at Arepo, Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

But a few days later, she was rescued in the swampy area of Ikorodu in Lagos by the police, who killed two of her suspected abductors and arrested two others.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, had disclosed that the police also recovered the N10 million initially paid to the kidnappers, four AK-47 rifles, three locally-made single barrel rifles, and ammunition of various calibres.

Though Odumosu is not the first individual to benefit from the efficiency and effectiveness of the Nigeria Police, her prompt rescue reconfirmed is that the Nigeria Police have the capacity but it is only activated when a high-profile personality is kidnapped.

It also reconfirmed that Nigeria runs two systems – one for the common man and another for the rich.

No wonder security and anti-corruption agencies break into the homes of less-privileged Nigerians at odd hours in search of yahoo yahoo boys who swindled their victims of meagre amounts of money but treat former governors and other big thieves who steal billions of naira with respect and dignity.

A country that discriminates against its own citizens can never attain greatness.

United States of America is great because her citizens are treated with equal respect and the life of every citizen matters before the law. American citizens reciprocate this gesture by taking ownership of their country with a high sense of patriotism.

The same cannot be said about Nigeria whose citizens loot and plunder the resources of the country at every opportunity.

For now, the prayer of the ordinary Nigerian is that ‘Nigeria should not happen’ to him or her.