March 4, 2009
When troops of the Joint Military Taskforce (JTF) were deployed in Port Harcourt, Rivers state in 2007 on the instance of the then interim governor, residents of the metropolis applauded the move as a highly desired intervention to stern the complete breakdown of law and order and the near-zero security of lives and property.
The officers of the taskforce came ready for their duty call. They saw the assignment as a service not only to Rivers state and Niger Delta but to the entire nation.
But the mindset of the interventionist squad seem to have drastically changed and the officers of the taskforce particularly the rank and file now see themselves more as an occupation force rather than peacekeeping or rather militants-chasing interventionists.
Participating military and police officers seem to have elapsed into dormancy allowing kidnappers have field days. The officers only become very active when it comes to one assignment that is very crucial to them - extortion from innocent motorists particularly the commercial motor drivers and Okadas before that mode of transportation was banned in last January.
Regrettably, this misplaced assignment by the JTF men cannot be disconnected from the current gradual relapsing of Port Harcourt back to an arena for easy kidnappings plus the resurfacing cases of sporadic shootings by criminal gangs.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the outward indiscipline of JTF men on the street of Port Harcourt and environs in recent times is threatening to overtake that of Police officers, that is if it has not already overtaken it.
The entire Port Harcourt has been turned into one big chain of JTF toll gates. Between Eleme Junction and Imo River Bridge (Oyigbo), there are six JTF road blocks plus another two manned solely by the Police detachment from Oyigbo and a Federal Highway Police patrol team that has now permanently been stationed at the Iriebe area.
The scenario is the same from Eleme Junction to Onne Junction. Inside the metropolis, in Diobu, Old Port Harcourt Township , Amadi-Abuloma , Choba Emuoha axis the story of JTF’s extortion and glaring indiscipline even consumption of alcohol on full military uniform has become an open secret.
At these points, neither the JTF officers nor the Police are concerned about militants or kidnappers rather the barricades are purely coercion point for cash drive from commercial vehicles operators, fuel tankers and tipper trucks moving around, entering or leaving the Port Harcourt metropolis.
It is disheartening that even the soldiers and Airforce personnel in the taskforce have now perfected the act of extorting money from innocent citizens by even going out in teams that are either all-soldiers or all airfoce personnel. At the beginning of this ugly development, the military men in each team would normally allow the police officers in their detachment do the extortion but maybe there has been an erosion of confidence in the police handling the money side of the patrol.
In fairness, it may be possible that the JTF Commander and other top senior officers of the operation are not aware that men serving under them are collecting N50-N200 from buses, taxis, tippers and other commercial vehicles any time they cross these points.
This unacceptable conduct of the JTF men is very surprising especially against the background of the high level of discipline and code of conduct which the Military was known for by training and doctrine.
Commendably, the Rivers State Government recently condemned and warned against this unacceptable conduct of the JTF men in Port Harcourt . But mere talk was not enough to stop these men from the act. And this is where the State Government should take a stand.
It is time for the governor to ask serious questions and demand answers. Why is it that since the days of John the Baptist that this kingdom stated suffering violence the men of JTF have not been able to catch one single kidnapper with his prey? There is a serious need for a gap analysis in this matter especially when on several occasions, kidnapping with heavy shooting had successfully been carried out few meters from JTF posts (Oil Mill/Eleme Junction; Mothercat/Amadi Village) without swift response from the security men.
The governor, Chibuike Amaechi is the chief security officer of the state and has constitutional powers to take action against the unruly conduct of soldiers, airforce personnel and policemen serving in the JTF within his domain especially as the state government contributes to the welfare and upkeep of these military men deployed on this mission to the state.
The governor should look at the command structure of the JTF in the state. Who actually directs the entire operation- the JTF Commander or the various service Commanders including the Police Commissioner in the state?
This question has become pertinent because the problem of gross indiscipline of these men seems to be as a result of a very weak and loose command and control structure of the entire operation.
The governor may also look into the claim by some of these undisciplined and irresponsible JTF men on the streets of Port Harcourt and environs that they “seek public assistance” because they have not been receiving their upkeep allowances (not salaries) for months.
It is on good record that as part of the arrangement, the Rivers State Government (as applicable in other Niger Delta states) pays every serving officer engaged in the mission a monthly support allowance in addition to their real salaries and the money these officers receive is very tangible.
So the glaring irresponsibility and public display of shame by these men is very disturbing because there are some ugly scenarios that could possibly arise or maybe have arisen to mess up the genuine efforts of the JTF to install real peace and security of lives and property in Port Harcourt and maybe the entire Niger Delta.
If men dressed in full military attires mount road blocks at their whims and caprices to collect money from innocent citizens what makes anybody think that criminal gangs and/or militants cannot dress the same way and mount check points to raise money for their operations? Such indiscipline may encourage criminal gangs to drive around town in patrol vehicles to clear way for kidnappings.
The governor cannot afford to ignore this dangerous development because on the long run, he would pay dearly for such negligence.
The River state government should find out the true situation as pertains the welfare of the men of the JTF taskforce. As the officers on the streets alleged that they “seek public assistance” because they have not been paid their upkeep allowance for months.” The Government should confirm if that is true and take appropriate and immediate action to redress the gap.
If that is done, then the governor can task the JTF and other security agencies to muster the will power to be honest in this campaign as that is the only way enduring peace and security of lives and property can be achieved in the state and in the Niger Delta in general.
The commendable level of peace and security already achieved in the fight against criminal gangsterism should be maintained and improved upon rather allowed to slip back just because of the irresponsibility and unseriousness of men of the JTF who are supposedly in Port Harcourt solely for the purpose of securing lives and property.
IFEANYI IZEZE IS AN ABUJA-BASED CONSULTANT ON POLITICAL STRAEGY AND PUBLIC CONSULTATION ([email protected])
The officers of the taskforce came ready for their duty call. They saw the assignment as a service not only to Rivers state and Niger Delta but to the entire nation.
But the mindset of the interventionist squad seem to have drastically changed and the officers of the taskforce particularly the rank and file now see themselves more as an occupation force rather than peacekeeping or rather militants-chasing interventionists.
Participating military and police officers seem to have elapsed into dormancy allowing kidnappers have field days. The officers only become very active when it comes to one assignment that is very crucial to them - extortion from innocent motorists particularly the commercial motor drivers and Okadas before that mode of transportation was banned in last January.
Regrettably, this misplaced assignment by the JTF men cannot be disconnected from the current gradual relapsing of Port Harcourt back to an arena for easy kidnappings plus the resurfacing cases of sporadic shootings by criminal gangs.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the outward indiscipline of JTF men on the street of Port Harcourt and environs in recent times is threatening to overtake that of Police officers, that is if it has not already overtaken it.
The entire Port Harcourt has been turned into one big chain of JTF toll gates. Between Eleme Junction and Imo River Bridge (Oyigbo), there are six JTF road blocks plus another two manned solely by the Police detachment from Oyigbo and a Federal Highway Police patrol team that has now permanently been stationed at the Iriebe area.
The scenario is the same from Eleme Junction to Onne Junction. Inside the metropolis, in Diobu, Old Port Harcourt Township , Amadi-Abuloma , Choba Emuoha axis the story of JTF’s extortion and glaring indiscipline even consumption of alcohol on full military uniform has become an open secret.
At these points, neither the JTF officers nor the Police are concerned about militants or kidnappers rather the barricades are purely coercion point for cash drive from commercial vehicles operators, fuel tankers and tipper trucks moving around, entering or leaving the Port Harcourt metropolis.
It is disheartening that even the soldiers and Airforce personnel in the taskforce have now perfected the act of extorting money from innocent citizens by even going out in teams that are either all-soldiers or all airfoce personnel. At the beginning of this ugly development, the military men in each team would normally allow the police officers in their detachment do the extortion but maybe there has been an erosion of confidence in the police handling the money side of the patrol.
In fairness, it may be possible that the JTF Commander and other top senior officers of the operation are not aware that men serving under them are collecting N50-N200 from buses, taxis, tippers and other commercial vehicles any time they cross these points.
This unacceptable conduct of the JTF men is very surprising especially against the background of the high level of discipline and code of conduct which the Military was known for by training and doctrine.
Commendably, the Rivers State Government recently condemned and warned against this unacceptable conduct of the JTF men in Port Harcourt . But mere talk was not enough to stop these men from the act. And this is where the State Government should take a stand.
It is time for the governor to ask serious questions and demand answers. Why is it that since the days of John the Baptist that this kingdom stated suffering violence the men of JTF have not been able to catch one single kidnapper with his prey? There is a serious need for a gap analysis in this matter especially when on several occasions, kidnapping with heavy shooting had successfully been carried out few meters from JTF posts (Oil Mill/Eleme Junction; Mothercat/Amadi Village) without swift response from the security men.
The governor, Chibuike Amaechi is the chief security officer of the state and has constitutional powers to take action against the unruly conduct of soldiers, airforce personnel and policemen serving in the JTF within his domain especially as the state government contributes to the welfare and upkeep of these military men deployed on this mission to the state.
The governor should look at the command structure of the JTF in the state. Who actually directs the entire operation- the JTF Commander or the various service Commanders including the Police Commissioner in the state?
This question has become pertinent because the problem of gross indiscipline of these men seems to be as a result of a very weak and loose command and control structure of the entire operation.
The governor may also look into the claim by some of these undisciplined and irresponsible JTF men on the streets of Port Harcourt and environs that they “seek public assistance” because they have not been receiving their upkeep allowances (not salaries) for months.
It is on good record that as part of the arrangement, the Rivers State Government (as applicable in other Niger Delta states) pays every serving officer engaged in the mission a monthly support allowance in addition to their real salaries and the money these officers receive is very tangible.
So the glaring irresponsibility and public display of shame by these men is very disturbing because there are some ugly scenarios that could possibly arise or maybe have arisen to mess up the genuine efforts of the JTF to install real peace and security of lives and property in Port Harcourt and maybe the entire Niger Delta.
If men dressed in full military attires mount road blocks at their whims and caprices to collect money from innocent citizens what makes anybody think that criminal gangs and/or militants cannot dress the same way and mount check points to raise money for their operations? Such indiscipline may encourage criminal gangs to drive around town in patrol vehicles to clear way for kidnappings.
The governor cannot afford to ignore this dangerous development because on the long run, he would pay dearly for such negligence.
The River state government should find out the true situation as pertains the welfare of the men of the JTF taskforce. As the officers on the streets alleged that they “seek public assistance” because they have not been paid their upkeep allowance for months.” The Government should confirm if that is true and take appropriate and immediate action to redress the gap.
If that is done, then the governor can task the JTF and other security agencies to muster the will power to be honest in this campaign as that is the only way enduring peace and security of lives and property can be achieved in the state and in the Niger Delta in general.
The commendable level of peace and security already achieved in the fight against criminal gangsterism should be maintained and improved upon rather allowed to slip back just because of the irresponsibility and unseriousness of men of the JTF who are supposedly in Port Harcourt solely for the purpose of securing lives and property.
IFEANYI IZEZE IS AN ABUJA-BASED CONSULTANT ON POLITICAL STRAEGY AND PUBLIC CONSULTATION ([email protected])
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