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Why we won’t stop collecting N20 – Police
John Ameh, Anambra
Policemen have openly defended the N20 they collect from motorists, blaming it on alleged lack of adequate welfare for the rank and file of the Nigeria Police Force.
They also claim that contrary to the widely-held view that they extorted the money from drivers, motorists actually “willingly offer to help” because of the pitiable conditions policemen had found themselves.
Our correspondent, who had an encounter with a team of policemen in the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway in Anambra State on Tuesday, observed that they defended the act as they took time to explain to passengers why they collected the money.
An officer on the team (names withheld) had stopped a Mitsubishi L-300 commercial bus our correspondent was travelling in right at the centre of the dual carriageway and shouted, “Where my Rogger?”
The driver pretended not to know that the policeman meant.
In the course of an argument, he ordered the driver, “Clear from the road; park very well; bring your particulars and I want your passengers to identify themselves.”
In the process of the introduction, the officer saw our correspondent’s identity card and exclaimed, “Punch!”
He continued, “Punch, you people have been writing that policemen collect N20. Why is your paper so interested in this N20 matter?”
“Why won’t we collect N20? Sometimes, you assume that policemen are receiving so much money from government. That is not true; we do not see the money. In fact, we read it in the papers the way you people also read it.
“Now, look at that patrol van. We fuel it from our own pockets to be able to work. We buy our own boots, uniforms and pay for our accommodation. These are things that are supposed to get to us through official funding.
“If you die on duty, your family suffers and if our colleagues die in the line of duty, we contribute money to take care of the burial expenses.
“These bus drivers understand these things and they cooperate with us by assisting us with the N20. Policemen do not beat or force anybody to give N20. It is not true.
“So, when you people write, you should add the reasons behind the collection of the money. Help us to ask more questions about police funds and welfare.
“The officer revealed that during a recent meeting called by the police high command in Abuja, the issue of the N20 was raised and “they were warning us not to disgrace the force by collecting the money.
“But, the point was also made on why this thing is taking place on the highways. They should address it from there.” he added.
The Punch, Wednesday July 13, 2005
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