As a journalist, this marks my first opportunity to write a column focused on the Nigerian police.
My motivation for this piece stems from a recent encounter with Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Umar Balla, a senior officer in the Nigerian police force.
At the time of writing this, CSP Balla serves as the Divisional Police Officer for the Ketu Police Division, located in the Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria. The events unfolded around 11:30 AM on Saturday, January 25th.
As an automobile dealer, I had dispatched my brother, an employee at my dealership, to take one of our cars to the Ladiipo market for repairs. The car, a second-hand vehicle, had previously lost its number plate, to the former owner of the car, leaving us to use our dealership’s number plate, which it certificate, unfortunately had expired last December. Although we had renewed it, my brother had forgotten to bring the updated documentation.
When my brother reached the police checkpoint at Ketu bus stop, he was stopped by officers and asked to present his driver’s license, which he did. However, he was also asked to provide his dealership identity card and certificate. He presented the expired certificate but couldn’t produce his identity card, which he carelessly left in the office before embarking on the journey and this was ultimately used against him.
He called me, and I spoke with the officer who explained the situation. I thanked him for his diligence, emphasizing that if the vehicle had been stolen, this is how the perpetrators would be caught. I informed him that the certificate had expired and that I could send the renewed copy and my brother’s identity card via WhatsApp. Despite my reasoning, the officer insisted on taking the car to the station.
At the station, after several hours of pleading, the officer directed my brother to return to our office in Ikorodu to retrieve all relevant documents for the car. Fearing dismissal from the company for his oversight, my brother rushed back to Ikorodu. By 5:30 PM, he returned to the station with the necessary papers, only to be told that I needed to be present in person, despite having explained my absence from Lagos.
After leaving the station around 8 PM without the car, I had to inform our potential client that the vehicle would not be available for inspection, attributing it to circumstances beyond our control.
On Sunday, I set aside other commitments and traveled to Lagos to resolve the situation at the police station on Monday morning. Arriving at the Ketu police division at 10:34 AM with my brother, we went directly to the officer’s office, only to find that he was not yet there. Efforts to obtain his contact from other officers were unsuccessful.
After two hours of waiting, I decided to call CSP Umar Balla directly, a man I had never spoken to before. To my surprise, he exhibited remarkable professionalism and integrity. He informed me that he was at Mile 12 for an important meeting but would return to the office shortly.
True to his word, eight minutes later, CSP Balla called me to meet him in his office. Upon my arrival, he promptly instructed his secretary to escort me to the unit where my car was held and ordered its immediate release at no cost. I was taken aback, completely speechless. When I reached for my wallet to express my gratitude, he firmly declined any offer of money, cautioning me never to pay a dime to any officer.
In conclusion, I felt compelled to share this experience to highlight the commendable individuals within the Nigerian police force. It is essential to recognize and celebrate their integrity and professionalism, rather than focusing solely on the negative narratives often associated with law enforcement.
Story by Chief Rahman Niyi Ismail CEO JOURNAL GLOBAL AUTOS LIMITED