Thursday, August 09, 2007

More Monologues

The blind Music Producer- Cobhams Emmanuel Asuquo, the stage actress- Kemi "lala" Akindoju and a friend who was driving were on the way to Eko Reel Mix Studios at a little after 8pm last night when the driver noticed obstructions on the road around the Aswani-Isolo road that leads to the Osolo Way. They slowed down and heard a gunshot. Two men in mufti materialized from the darkness carrying guns, soon followed by others in mobile police uniforms and carrying arms too.

The policemen yelled- "you're criminals", why didn't you stop when we asked you to?"
Their replies that they didn't see the obstructions only incensed the "super-cops".

One, visibly high on unknown substances, dragged the driver of the vehicle to a dark corner, smashed up a table and proceeded to use the broken parts to beat him, swearing at him intermittently and saying, "I will kill you here" . When the policeman was sated, he returned to Cobhams to "discipline" him as well. "lala" pleaded with them that cobhams was blind, and another of the policemen thrust a gun in his face yelling "na lie! na lie! wetin be this?"

After a while, many pleas, and being finally convinced of his state, they told them, "since you're not robbers, you have to pay for our wasted bullet". After they paid N1,500, they let them go. Cobhams' blindness saved them from what might have led to anything.

"Who shall guard the guards?" -Juvenal

23 comments:

Omodudu said...

O' Nigeria

Anonymous said...

It's a real shame. It seems the Policemen, the touts, and the armed robbers are members of the same the family.


Are these cases and issues alike being made known to Umaru or some other significant person in power?


BTW, you need to get on board being PC Papi. I'd rather have said visually impaired than blind.

Anonymous said...

laspapi,
the time is now for a revolution!!
the nigerian people need to wake up and take action.
what is life without liberty?

♥♫♪nyemoni♫♪♥ said...

Aww... this hurt like hell... what are the police turning into? I lack words really, I do..when the people who are supposed to make sure no one falls short of the law turn to hooligans, what do we have? May He deliver us from our own.

laspapi said...

@ omodudu- my very thoughts

@ anon- they are kith and kin, I agree, cut from the same cloth. As for Umaru "go slow", can he say he doesn't know?

PC, Anon? I didn't think "visually impaired" would have passed the message the way the other did. Cobham's "person" vetted the post for its veracity before I blogged, so I let that word stay.

@ sherri- well said. A rose revolution can work here too. Something must be done.

@ nyemoni- I know exactly how you feel, 'moni. Just when you think they can't sink lower than they already have, they pull a new trick out of the hat.

@ omosewa- kemi went to QC, 'sewa. You were friends?

Eyin'ju Oluwa said...

Hmm, not really. Our dads work with the same company. I was in her set, my arm was V, she should remember.

For the love of me said...

So who will lead the revolution, Laspapi, will you?

In my head and around me said...

You once commented that after hearing how much police men are paid, you felt sorry for them. I did not share your sentiment then. They are ALL corrupt and pose a real threat to the populace.

Even the ones that stood by and did nothing are as guilty as the stoned punk that beat someone with whatever implement he was able to find.

And to think that the police is concentrating on ridding the state of "indecently dressed" people. I wear my cover-from-neck-to-toe and do not feel safe.

Anonymous said...

..."for any revolution to succeed, the revolutionist must be ready to shed blood."
But, let's face it, in reality 'tis not the police (they are just a small part of the problem), 'tis the populace.
Till we choose to stand and say no, 'twill take a while before we begin to move forward.

Unknown said...

total madness...
not sure i will come back to naija this year...

Unknown said...

Now that's just sick...who watches the watchmen...if the (former) oga olopa can boldly 'steal' what do you expect his cohorts to do. What a terrible terrible shame. I feel so bad for those people. No one should have to endure such mindless nonsense. WHO IS WATCHING THESE WATCHMEN???

Anonymous said...

Why do I feel like laughing?

Jennifer A. said...

hmmmm...good question...

Babawilly said...

Chineke! These policemen need re orientation o!
Beating citizens of a country for fun is not right.
Beating is even used as 'crowd control' in public events.
Na wa for awa 'Afro Beat' society or should I say 'Police Beat'?

Uzo said...

Oh dear.....

Mrs Somebody said...

A friend of mine was arrested for overtaking a bullion van.They took him to the station and he had to pay 10,000 before he could be released.They called him a robbery suspect.

Thirty + said...

"Wasted what?" Errant nonsense, there barbaric nature knows no end. Let's just thank God nobody was killed. I am not even sure who to fear more in Nigeria, Police or Armed Robbers

Anonymous said...

In the word of christ - 'it is finished'

laspapi said...

@ for the love of me- already, there is resistance in many areas. Non-violent resistance of bad policies through newspaper articles, television programmes, human rights activism, seminars by WRITA, (the women writers)on crime in Nigeria, dramatists who satirize the excesses of the counry's rulers, Supreme Court judges who overturn the illegal removal of governors... Already, the "rose revolution" has started. Let's find our own places in the march...The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny.

@ in my head- I understand your annoyance but want you to remember there might be a few of them who stand between us and anarchy. Now they sit and monitor rush hour traffic jams from the island so people don't get robbed, something unheard of, in the days of the area boy "over-lord", Bola Ahmed Tinumbu. I have been accused of "ranting" at the police with every opportunity I get. My rants won't stop, but even the new governor who has made the fight against crime a visible aim, is offering incentives to good policemen. The majority are a horrible lot, but...a few good men?

@ rethots- already people are standing up. I just hope it won't take too long before we get there.

@ my stories- somewhere in the chaos, its a lovely place. Still, even at the risk of casting my country in a bad light, I must tell it like it is.

@ jola- the guards of the guards are asleep, drunk or intoxicated on power. It's why we're all yelling, hoping someone hears before the rabid dogs suffering from dementia, bite the occupants of the house they're meant to be guarding,to death..

@ anon- don't laugh, anon. A ludicrous situation but not a laughing matter for those facing it.

@ jaycee- the question- "who shall guard the guards?" or "who shall lead the revolution?"- If one has no other country, the answer's simple.

@ babawilly- At one time, I used to think it'd be a great idea to sack the entire police force and start over. It's idealistic though, not practicable.

@ uzo- yeah...

@ mrs somebody- the happenings in this country are impossible to grasp atimes. He overtook a bullion van...

@ 30+ Keeping a healthy distance from both, is a good idea

@ anon- Eloi, Eloi, lama sabbach thani

Aijay said...

This is so disheartening. After assaulting innocent citizens they had the guts to extort money from them for what...wasted bullets?
I was hoping to move back to Nigeria at the end of this year but with this madness going on...I don't know.
What can we do?

jak said...

Hi Laspaps, it's been a while... I know Cobhams... So sad to hear this story... It truly hurts to see Naija like dis... My family just moved to PH and they are living through the gangs and militants going crazy on the streets... they've had a couple of close shaves too... What and who would it take to stop the mindless violence and abuse of power by law enforcement? Someone please tell me...

laspapi said...

@ aijay- they're not used to people speaking up, speaking back. Maybe if more of us did so...

@ damsel- ah, PH is a rough place at the moment. They have to be careful. We need people in government who can recognize that what's going on is abnormal. Really long time, damsel. How's yonder?

Lola said...

@damsel - please i feel so discouraged whenever i hear people say that. who's gonna change things if we're all running away? how far are we going to run from our own country? it is because we have all been silent in the past that things continue to degenerate. Face the problem, they're not that formidable really and for sure there's strength in numbers. Don't be fooled by the few.