Police now stealing thunders?

UnderTow

After the widely reported release last week of a couple kidnapped alongside a third man in Owo, Ondo State, the Nigeria Police Force, Ondo State Command, stole the thunder of the victims. They talked tough and said many encouraging words. Indeed, the media reported that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Amotekun Corps contributed their own quota of muscle to the release of the victims. Unfortunately, recent reports have quite confused Nigerians on what exactly went down in the forests of Ondo. No one knows what to believe anymore.

Following the release, Ondo Police spokesman, ASP Tee-Leo Ikoro, was quoted saying: “We got information about the incident and we quickly dispatched our tactical squad for a rescue mission. We heard they were asking for 20 million naira ransom, but we are not interested in that. Rather we are going after them. We rescued the couple and we are going to get the perpetrators.”

According to the couple, they were only released after they had negotiated with the kidnappers and driven a hard bargain of two million naira. They insisted that the money had been dropped off by the husband’s brother and the kidnappers had even counted the money by the roadside and bragged that they would do any police officer in, who was so bold as to venture into the area.

So who is lying? The police have since kept quiet. Silence is not admittance of guilt, but knowing the Nigeria Police, they would not have hesitated to respond to the allegations if they had indeed been lies. They are always first on the podium to blow their own trumpets and claim their deserved awards after successful missions. The couple, meanwhile, have no reason to lie against the police or any other corps that contributed to their rescue. They would have been full of gratitude under normal circumstances. No one knows if these were abnormal circumstances, but nothing points to abnormalities. They appear to be truthful in their claims so far. The police need to clear their name from this sordid mess. The last thing they want is to have the blemish on their record that they claim credits for work they have not done, nor do they want it to be said of them that they do not get their work done as and when due.