Commander Ogechi: Sanitizing Mile11/Seme Road Menace
By Okey Iroebgu
The Nigeria Police is the most abused security outfit in Nigeria. Their sins stemmed on wrong perception or what the Igbos refers to a finger getting in contact with palm oil and the entire fingers getting contaminated. Over the years, the Police have been the only security operative that has direct relationship with the civil society and this familiarity has left the police with abuse, distrust and insult. Despite the concerted effort from the police to improve on their human relations through jingles and community services, the relationship has remained soured. The police in their own miscalculations have continuously advertised false hope to the public. Issues like “police is your friend” and “bail is free” have not reflected very well in their approach at their various stations.
Considering the trouble the police officers have been going through to proclaim their innocence and friendly relationship with the people, you would want to show considerable sympathy and agree with them that indeed they are our friends. When they succeed in dislodging crisis or our assassins in the dead of the night, we’ll thumb up for them. Like the normal jokes among Nigerian comedians; “when the soldier slaps you, you will definitely know that police is your friend.”
The truth is that the police has been wrongly labeled, insulted, and accused of been corrupt on a blanket condemnation. Like a general parlance or saying in Nigeria; the dirty looks of a road side mechanic does not allow people to differentiate between a madman and the mechanics. There is no agency in Nigeria that has not gone through one corrupt case or the other. The police in Nigeria should not be seen from a different perspective as long as it is an agency with human beings as the operators.
On this write up, the primary focus is to give honour to whom honour is due. The advent of Enhanced Nigeria/Benin Joint Border Patrol is one of the greatest achievements of the regime of President Olusegun Obasanjo. Before the present regime of the current commander, CSP Moses Ogechi, two previous commanders performed extremely beautiful. They are late SP Sunday Bada and the then ACP Musa Kimo who later became a police commissioner in Bayelsa. This magazine recognized them in line with her tradition and knowing fully the role of heroism and hero worshipping in our society to encourage them to perform more. Their recognitions were later seen as development journalism. After them it took the team a pretty long time to come up with a role model expected to man such an important gateway as Seme border.
The arrival of CSP Ogechi to Seme border as the commander of Enhanced Nigeria/Benin Joint Patrol command no doubt excited a feeling. His physique is an eye-turner as anybody who came in contact with him or even just sighting him would comment, “This is how Nigeria police should look.” A near seven footer and a smart dresser, CSP Ogechi is always combat ready in his mien. As he was carefully been observed to ascertain that the physical attribute equates with the people’s expectation, this magazine stumbled on his past records and antecedents.
As mentioned above, CSP Udu Moses Ogechi is an achiever who loves his profession to a fault. Despite his endless efforts to put the force to a reputable position, not much has been heard about his tremendous achievements. It will not be an overemphasis if his achievements are repeatedly mentioned here as a sing song. “Before he was singled out for the task of carrying out the presidential mandate of securing Nigeria’s most strategic land border, Ogechi had served as the Squadron Commander, MOPOL 43, Lion Building; Commander in charge of Diplomatic Missions and the Commander, Lion Building. He performed very well there and he led many successful operations that are commendable.
“He had served as Commander, Federal Task Force on Narcotic and Counterfeit Drugs under the late Dr Dora Akunyili, and had contributed largely to the successes recorded in the war against fake drugs. He led the operations. During his years at NAFDAC, he led the sanitization of Onitsha Head Bridge drug market, where illicit drugs worth billions of naira were confiscated, even arms and ammunition. The operation was a celebrated one. He never compromised” the report confirmed
It is on this note that he was chosen at the wake of the recent border closure as one of the officers who will enforce the national border drill at the Seme axis. There is no doubt that the mission has witnessed seizures of contraband goods worth billions of Naira and the seizure of weapons and illicit drugs. Smugglers have also not been having their way due to the effective policing that has led to several arrests and recoveries.
The history of Seme border policing can never be written without a positive citation of CSP Ogechi. Enhance Nigeria/Benin Joint Border patrol and the Federal Highway patrol team are the only approved police formation on the Seme/Lagos corridor. This was spelt out during the visit of the retired Deputy Inspector General of Police Israel Ajao to Seme border in June 2010. During that visit, the no nonsense DIG brought the over twenty-six checkpoints on the road to just four. He approved one for Agbara head-bridge, one at the old toll gate, one at Gbaji and one at Yard before Suntan Beach. All these were to be controlled by the Enhanced Border patrol. The then commander, ACP Musa Kimo responded favourably which later earned him rapid promotions.
The history of Seme border policing and the ordeal of users of the route could be taken a bit to 2006 when transporters and commuters were complaining on daily basis. Organized protest and petitions were written before the Federal Government decided to pay a visit to an area described by CNN by then as the worst border in the world. It was the remark of the then ACG Ade Fadahunsi, now a Senator of Federal Republic that the police was taking over customs work on the road that finally brought a high powered delegation of the federal government to Seme. Among the delegates were Dr. Iyorcha Ayu, the then Minister of Internal Affairs, Sunday Ehindero, the then Inspector General of Police and others.
CSP Ogechi’s arrival at Seme border calls for a revisit to original government position to the Mile/Seme route on police procedures. The Enhanced Nigeria/Benin Joint Border Patrol has the statutory right to maintain peace in the area. With the beautiful credentials of the commander, the area is awaiting a renewed and peaceful policing.
*Culled from The Baggage
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