Anti-corruption war: Children should question parents who live above their means – Police boss

The Lagos State Police Command last week organised a career talk for children of both public and private schools in Lagos and environs at the 2016 Police Week Celebration held at Grace Akpoyibo Auditoriun at the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) Hall, Oduduwa, Ikeja.

The theme of the 2016 Police Week – Police is your friend – attracted parents, teachers and students from different schools including Chosen International School and Police Children School both from Festac, Command Day Secondary School, Ben Iroha  Nusrery and  primary,  State Senior  High School, Oba  Akinjobi all from Ikeja and Springhill School, Bello Memorial Nursery and  Primary School Maryland,  Brain School TBS, Narrow way School, all from Ikorodu and many more around the state.

The event was organised by the planning committee headed by CSP Dupe Opaleke, the Area H Commander supported by CSP Waliu Ayilara, Monday Akonika, ASP Omiyale Waliu and many senior officers in the command.

Speaking at the event, the CP who was first represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, (DCP) Lawal Ado, said that the police had planned to visit the students at their various schools but later decided to invite them since they are on holiday.

“There is always a need to talk to you about career because some of you may decide to become police officerstomorrow,” he began.

“I know in Nigeria there are misconceptions about the Nigeria Police, but by the time you are through with the education you will realise that police indeed is your friend.

“The Nigeria Police are trained and disciplined people. That is why we are doing this – to catch you young and train you as good Nigerian Police,” Ado said.

According to the speaker, CSP Monday Agbonika who anchored the career talk gave a brief history of the Nigeria Police to the students. He explained that the essence was to make the students patriotic Nigerians, assist them to make career decisions so they can become whatever they want to become in life while serving the country as police officers.

Agbonika, who is the DPO Festac division, hinted that the Nigeria Police Academy has been upgraded to a degree awarding institution by the Nigeria University Commission (NUC), where one can study his/her choice of course, same as the normal universities and be awarded appropriate degrees.

While the entry requirement into the academy is credit pass of six subjects at O’Level through JAMB, Agbonika informed that enlistment into the force as a constable is now through OND, NCE certificate or Advance ‘A’ Level result.

“When you look at the requirements in the Nigeria Police and the activities, you will realise that you cannot just bring yourselves in except you love Nigeria.” Agbonika further expatiated that crime does not pay because those that get involved in crime end up in bad situations.

“The police is saddled with the statutory duties of crime prevention, detection, preservation of law and order, and prosecution of offenders.”

He also enlightened the students on requirements at different points of entries for the Nigeria Police and various ranks of the officers.

In conclusion, Agbonika urged the students to avoid drugs and cultism which are the bane of the youths of this age so they can pursue successful careers in the future.

CP Fatai Owoseni on arrival, tasked the children to be courageous to demand for the take-home pay of their parents and query them whenever they seem to live above their means. Specifically, he urged children of police officers to challenge their parents whenever they are found to be collecting bribe, saying this would go a long way to halt the menace among corrupt policemen.

The Commissioner maintained that corruption would be eradicated in the society if children are courageous enough to begin to query their parents when they live above their means.

He said this while fielding questions from pupils and students of some selected private and public schools during a ‘Career Talk on Nigeria Police’ as part of activities to mark the 2016 Police Week by the command.

Owoseni stressed that this would be part of the children’s contribution in making the country better for us all if they could embark on it, adding that children in advanced countries do the same.

“Corruption can be fought from the angle of children, at your age; we want to use you as vanguard of change in the society. You can challenge your father to know about his salary and the things he brings home. If what he brings home is more than the salary, you challenge him and if you do that he will be ashamed and stop doing that, children abroad are also doing it”, he charged.

Reacting to question by one White Olasunkanmi, a student of State Senior High School, GRA Ikeja, on why policemen do collect bribe, Owoseni said it is unlawful and ethically wrong for a policeman to collect bribe under any circumstance, adding that it would do the society a greater good if the children reports them to the authority whenever they are found in the act.

The police commissioner however pointed out that the menace is borne out of broken down of values from homes, where children demand for gratification from their parents or elders to go on errand or perform basic domestic responsibilities.

His words, “There is no reason for policemen to collect bribe, it is wrong and unlawful for a policeman to collect bribe, it is a curse for a policeman to collect bribe. Anywhere you see them, help us challenge them and it will be better for the society. If possible, move closer, get his name and number and text a message to the police public relations officers lines and others that are made available.

At your age, we want to use you as a vanguard of change in the society. It is ethically wrong for you to be influenced in any way for you to do what you ought to do ordinarily at home. When your parents ask you to do a job for them, don’t demand for gratification to do it and always be contented with what your parents give you. That is what the bad eggs in the police grew up with from their home before they joined the police.”

Harping on the theme of the Police Week celebration tagged” Police is Your Friend”, Owoseni stressed that police is indeed friend of the people, saying” Police is rending help to humanity and we are suppose to be there for everybody”.

As part of efforts at making them agents of change, the police commissioner hinted that plans are foot to set up what he called Student Voluntary Police Unit in schools, explaining that it is a move to get volunteers that will serve as warden and representatives of the police within their various schools.