Coronavirus: Agony Of Police Officers In Nigeria

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The Federal Government and some States have indeed continued the fight against the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria with recorded successes in some States especially the Lagos, Ogun and Federal Capital territory, Abuja and others.

P.M.EXPRESS investigation revealed that the health workers in Nigeria have also been fully mobilized for the task; provided some equipment and enabling motivation which had enabled them to perform the duty with reasonable comfort and protection such as allowances for work hazards, vehicles for movement and protective equipment for their safety in general.
Some of the measures taken so far by the Government include the restriction and stay at home directive to prevent further spread of the virus. But due to lack of preparedness on the side of the Government and the people, implementation of the directive by the President became a little bit difficult and the Police had to enforce the order.

Hunger is another factor, which compounds the compliance by the people and have so far led to disobedience and threat of criminal vices like violence and stealing in some areas but the Police had been working relentlessly for the protection of lives and property during this emergency period.

However, the same Police, who have been bestowed with such sensitive responsibility at this emergency period, seem to have been abandoned both by the Federal and State Governments.
Police officers were confined to the Barracks in most places as directed by the authorities but they were left with almost bare hands to enforce the compliance in some areas in the States without out a single motivation. 

Some Lagos and Ogun residents told P.M.EXPRESS that apart from those who travelled and returned to Nigeria with the virus, the health workers should focus their searchlight on Police officers who might have  been infected with virus because of the conditions of their services during this emergency period.

“Nobody speaks for them, they are not allowed to complain on the work hazards they were facing, no equipment to work with such as vehicles, masks, sanitizers and hand gloves coupled with the fact that their families go through pains like other people in the society at this trying period over high prices of goods and services” a concerned resident said.

Some Police Divisions do not have even operational vehicles to move around to ensure compliance. The Government, through the Health workers, did not provide any protective service or training on how to handle inflected patients who might contact Police before the Health workers.
Some said if the Police high authorities cannot speak to the Government over the predicaments of Police officers, then the Government in their own discretion should know that indeed Police officers, who had been working tirelessly with much stress, need motivation to continue the task of protecting lives and property in Nigeria at this trying period.