The Jolly Rogers Deck (Oyo State Chapter) of the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) has berated the Nigerian Police Force as well as Odunayo Alade, the father of a secondary school student who was felled by a police bullet in Ibadan recently.
In a statement signed by Prince Adebowale Adeniji, the Capoon of the State Chapter of the association, the incident was described as "one of the numerous avoidable killings that had been witnessed in Nigeria".
Describing the event as "saddening", NAS opined that "the innocent young boy's life was abruptly cut short and his dreams and aspirations were brought to an end by the rashness of both misfits not worthy of the exemplary status of fatherhood and the other person, which in our opinion, is bereft of the professionality embedded in policing."
The statement reads inter alia: "The Pyrates Confraternity notes that the high-handedness and the trigger-happy nature of our so-called security officers is dreadful and must be curbed. We seriously believe that the death of that innocent soul killed in that situation was avoidable, if only the government of Nigeria bears in mind the safety of Nigerians when handing over weapons to persons meant to protect the lives and properties of citizens. This situation once again underscores the exigences of examinations of physical fitness and mental alertness in our security officers.
We do not hesitate to state that the father of the deceased boy lacks such sterling qualities expected of a father as a high sense of responsibility, sensitivity, patience and being a role-model. The video exposing the happenstances that led to the incident revealed that he was driving his child to school. What kind of a driver drives against traffic and in a single lane meant for cars moving towards the opposite direction? Now, what kind of a father does that while having the children in the car? What kind of leadership in civil obedience is he exuding to the children to imitate? Again, despite being called to order by security agents, his gestapo-styled driving indicated an attempt to evade justice. What a citizen and a father indeed! We see his acts as irresponsible and totally appalling. We believe that regardless of the sentiments, he must be investigated and prosecuted if found guilty for not only disregarding traffic laws but also putting his children and other road users’ lives in an endangering situation.
That notwithstanding, as an organization committed to justice and the attainment of a just society, we seize this opportunity to condemn the act of whoever initiated that reckless shot which unfortunately led to the death of that innocent child, be it a superior officer or the officer who took the shot himself. We are aware of the information released by the police wherein they claimed to have taken the offending officer into custody. However, we hope that this will not be one of the manifold cases which were swept under the carpet and ended up in the ash heap of history or unreasonably delayed to fade off within the fleetingness and brevity of time such that justice is eventually denied and evaded. We urge all authorities involved to ensure a thorough and speedy investigation of this case, and effect prosecution accordingly.
It is very saddening and unfortunate that as a country, Nigeria still prides some persons of this incredible level of temperament in its Police Force. Despite having other means of arresting the situation in the incidence under review and similar cases, many Nigeria Police Officers are wont to fire a shot, characteristically trigger-happy. It depicts a maladjusted mentality yet to distill itself off several years of militarized and oppressive governmental systems. It is visible from that video that the police had other professional options through the application of intelligence means to apprehend this offender. It is demeaning of our law enforcement agents and indicative of the parlous state of our security and existentiality that the Nigeria Police officers still adopt these archaic processes to police our society. While not gainsaying the incivility of the deceased father, would it not rather have been better that an offender escapes than an innocent life is lost based on crude policing? To whom much is given, more is expected. The Nigeria Police Force must learn how to police effectively and efficiently in the twenty-first century.
As Pyrates, we will not rest on our oars until every person culpable in this unfortunate but avoidable incident is brought to book."
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