A Public Affairs Analyst, Chima Nnaji, has commended the social media and its users for enabling the exposure of corrupt practices in the society.
“Thank God for social media,” he said, while speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily on Thursday.
The dismissal of a sergeant, Chris Omeleze, who was caught on film trying to extort money from a motorist in Lagos, has caused a stir and has raised several questions about the credibility of the Nigeria Police.
Mr Nnaji, while commenting on the issue said that the video which went viral online is the reason the Nigeria Police could not sweep it under the carpet and as a result “the best thing was to dispense with this guy.”
A recent development in the story is the revelation that Osugwor Festus and not Chris Omeleze is his real name.
A source, who chose to remain annonymous, said that the “real name of the dismissed policeman is not Chris Omeleze. His real name is Osugwor Festus from Umuseti in Ndokwa West LGA of Delta state. He was classmates with Chris Omeleze… They attended Ndemili Grammar school and finished in 1987.”
Reacting to this, Mr Nnaji raised several questions including why the police officer chose the name of that particular classmate, how long has he been using it and for what purpose?”
What name did he use in enlisting in the Police force, he asked.
The Public Relations Officer of the Police Force, Mr Frank Mba confirmed that the sergeant has been dismissed from the force.
Mr Nnaji argued that the PPRO was hasty in concluding that there was no senior officer involved in the illegal act.
“Many Nigerians know that bribery is not just something at the level of sergeants and corporals. We have DPO’s, higher ranking officers” who have engaged in corrupt practices.
He however said that not every police officer is corrupt.
“The first thing would have been to establish whether this guy was acting on somebody’s instruction or supervision. Was he in a team?” he asked.
Some police officers create illegal checkpoints because they have arms.
He urged Nigerians to use technology at their disposal to record such incidences, in order to correct social ills.
