The rate at which Nigerian citizens especially we the students of different tertiary institutions and colleges are getting harassed by the Nigerian forces these days is getting quite alarming and very ridiculous. Citizens can’t even wake up any day and decide to take a quick stroll round their street or neighborhood without the fear of being randomly stopped and harassed by these our so called Nigerian police. The funniest thing about this whole situation right now is that these officers have indeed misplaced their roles and duties, the Nigerian police force which is meant to protect and guide the people of this country from harm, violence and abuse of any form is now doing something totally different and ridiculous. Their main duty is to maintain law and order in the country, but instead of them to perform their legal duties, they chose to incorporate the duties of another force in the country, which is totally bad…
What business does the Nigerian police have with stopping and searching Nigerian citizens. The last I checked, these people are partially in charge of stopping and searching vehicles on the roads, especially suspicious looking vehicles, and not stopping and searching the citizens of the country, including those that don’t own a car and are just randomly walking along the road…
These people have made themselves a laughing stock in the country, due to their misplaced priorities. As a student, I can’t count the number of times I've had unpleasant encounters with these jokers, and i am sure so many other youths out there can relate to this particular experience of mine. Thanks to the constant increase in the number of internet fraudsters in the country, the Nigerian police have decided to label every Nigerian citizens, especially the youths as fraudsters, which is very wrong. Honestly, I can’t blame them for thinking that way and that’s because it’s not hundred percent their fault, I blame the internet fraudsters out there who have made honest hustlers like me and many others out there to be seen and labeled as fraudsters because of our semi-good lifestyle…
The funniest thing about this whole harassment is the fear of dressing well and the use of good mobile phones, the likes of Samsung and Apple without being seen as fraudsters, especially the STUDENTS out there. Things aren’t looking funny anymore in this country and if care is not taken, the Nigerian students will be forced to take actions. Here’s another experience that happened yesterday when i and my friend were on our way back from the JAMB HEADQUARTER…
THE UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE…
I went out with one of my friends to the Jamb headquarter located at the highland. Due to the stress of the highway, we decided to travel by BOLT. On getting there we realized what we wanted to do wasn't available, and that it would take some time before it would be available, then we decided to book the bolt back home to the mainland…
On getting to the mainland these people stopped our car. It was just I, my friend and the bolt driver in the car. Funny enough i was already asleep, i just felt the bolt driver drove under a shade, stopped and packed. At first they told the driver to open his boot, which he did, then the inspector came to our side and approached my friend at the back seat, he asked him who he was and that he should identify himself before asking him about what he does for a living, my guy responded to him saying he is a student, then he asked him; “a student of which school”, this question came as a shock to him because he is still processing his admission to my school, but then he is still a student. He got confused and said he is not a student and that he was just coming from the jamb office to make some corrections. I was in the front seat with the driver while he was being interrogated outside the car. He further asked my friend what he does for a living, he then answered the Senior Officer by saying he is a forex trader, he was further asked to present his Forex trading student ID card, which my friend did, he then asked him to open his account of trading, which he did again, while the Boss was with my friend, the junior inspector came to me and decided to question me the same way…
I was literally waiting for them to come to me, and that was because i was prepared and confident to stupor, and i also know i am not a criminal, neither am i a fraudster. He asked me to identify myself and i came out of the car with courage and said to him; “My name is Abdulqudus, and a student of the Federal Polytechnic *****”. He asked me what level and I responded to him by saying; “a soon to-be 200 level”, then he asked to see my student ID card, fortunately for me i went to school days ago to get my Siwess letter stamped so i had my student ID card with me and that too in my school bag, which I carry with me everywhere i go…
I presented my ID card to him and he verified my studentship claim, seeing as there was nothing to ask me again, he called his Boss and his Boss moved over to my side and collected the ID card, he crosschecked it again and asked me to show him my profile on the school portal. I brought my phone out and went to my school’s application quick check, he saw my name on the portal and checked both evidence for minutes before returning them back. Seeing as we were both guilty free, the junior inspector decided to search my school bag for INDIAN HEMP & MARIJUANA. He was trying to get my bag out of my grasp to search it well but the wise me didn’t let go of my bag and showed him the in and out of my bag instead. He verified it and his boss said you both can go…
I smiled and just entered the car. It was at this point i was proud to be a student. This encounter became a real conversation for my friend, the driver and I until we got to our destination…
In summary, don’t ever underestimate the power of your Studentship, especially the power of your ID card, if possible take it everywhere with you, because you never can tell when you’d run into this jokers who call themselves the Nigerian police. They are not our friends at all…
In conclusion, i had both my Student ID card and my national ID card with me, i carry them always with me regardless of the distance of my journey. I expected them to ask me what i do for a living, so that i can boldly and confidently tell them i am a writer and freelancing is my JOB, and that is if they understand what that means, lol..
The message i’m trying to pass across to you all is that as a student never underestimate the power of your student ID CARD and if possible always carry them along with you on every journey, if you aren’t the shy type, wear it on your NECK so that they can see you differently from afar…
What do you think would have happened to me if i wasn't with my ID CARD?...
THANKS FOR READING…