Awka, Anambra State 

Bakassi Boys! Famed. Dreaded. The deadly scourge against mean spirited criminals. Tales of their exploits stretch beyond mere reality into the realms of mythology. The modus operandi of this crime busting boys and the feats ascribed to them were proclaimed aloft as being derived from supernatural sources. 

When the umbrella group of Aba shoemakers resolved to restore the business integrity of their group, after a deadly breach of trust almost ruined the shoe manufacturing business in Aba, they never knew that they were embarking on a venture that would, to a very large extent, deal ruthlessly with the perpetrators and sponsors of violent crimes in the whole South East of Nigeria. 

The famed feats of the Bakassi boys!—howling gales surging far ahead of their physical presence; striking fear into the hearts of even the most hardened of criminals. Soon, their physical tentacles could be felt everywhere—in all nooks and crannies of the East. 

The merger of the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Nigeria Police was still in place by the year 2000, when I was posted to Anambra State as the FRSC State Commander. It was during the administration of Governor Chinweoke Mbadinuju, when the Bakassi Boys were on ground in Anambra, hounding out hardened criminals. 

Before I took over command of the Anambra State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, commercial motor cycle operators in Awka were in the habit of raiding the command base, unleashing mayhem on the staff, destroying public and private property therein. I was made to understand that my predecessor who resided near the base, was assaulted twice by hoodlums just within the precincts of his residence. Commercial motorcycle operators arrested for glaring offences requiring impounding of their motorbikes would arrange with some unscrupulous mobile policemen who presented themselves to the Duty Room officer as the owners of the bikes, demanding the immediate release of such vehicles. Assault cases by motorists against Road Safety operatives were rampant. 

Angels of the Highways 

A visibly demoralized work force was what I met in the State Command. It struck me immediately that the Command must be re-branded, re-energized and heartened. Looking neat, trim and tough in my usual combat uniform during my very first interaction with the officers and men, without mincing words, I told them that they looked shabby in their uniforms. Then I threw a bombshell at them. “Is it true that extortion of motorists is the norm here?” No one moved. Palpable silence engulfed the whole parade ground. “Never mind. We will yet come to that.” I announced, and continued. 

“Your first contact with the public is your appearance. As traffic law enforcement operatives, your uniform is the first thing anyone notices about you. It is therefore imperative that you always look neat and smart in your uniform. The way you dress is the way you are addressed. My people have a saying: ‘The words of the man who dons an unkempt attire, are never deemed worthy.’ Our uniform is our dress for outing and all celebrations. So it should be our best kept and most cherished dress. 

“The next is your facial expression—your countenance, which is an aspect of the appearance phase. Your facial contact with the motorist should be assuring to him/her. Your face should communicate to the motorist, the feeling of being in safe hands.

 “Your language while communicating with motorists and road users must be plain, straight to the point and simple. You should be polite always. Courtesy costs nothing, but can obtain everything necessary. Your words and actions should bring succour; never suffering, to road users and all others you come in contact with. Simple cautioning and/or a little enlightenment would suffice for some traffic offences. 

"Do not ever book an offender out of malice or to exact punishment. Remember, you are only an agent of the Law. You are not the Law. The purpose of booking offenders is indeed to correct and not to punish. There will always be offenders. ‘Offenders no dey finish’. Enforcement of the law should not be done at all costs, to the detriment of safety of lives and property—yours and others. But remember, you must be firm and fair. 

Exhortation on Extortion 

“The money you extort from that poor motorist might be the little left for him to procure drugs for a sick dependant, or to purchase few cups of garri (fried cassava flour) for some hungry children. If that sick person dies or anything untoward happens to them, you are culpable. Never collect bribe from any motorist. Do not ever ask for or receive any form of inducement from any commercial vehicle driver overloaded with passengers, for the purpose of allowing him to continue the journey, especially if his tyres are terribly worn-out and, or expired. If along the way, there is a tyre burst resulting to a crash in which any life is lost, you, the bribe taker, are the murderer. It should not be classified as an accident. 

“Terrible curses and repercussions are attached to any money made through extortion. Some of the victims who cough out such bribes to you, do so with deep pains and dire curses in their hearts. Taking food or drinks bought with such money is akin to ingesting poison and sickness. Soon, the fellow gets sick with puzzling ailments. Electric energy surge will particularly locate your apartment and destroy the electric/electronic gadgets you bought with such monies. Children trained with the proceeds of extortion never end up well. 

“Our highways should not be turned into alleyways of intimidation and extortion of motorists. You were established as ‘Angels of the Highways’, not ‘Demons of the Dark Alleyways’. You must therefore decide today to be the ‘Angels of the Highways’ you are meant to be, or be damned forever as ‘Demons of the Dark Alleyways’. 

“Remember, ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you’. By our actions good or bad, we are sowing seeds every day. ‘What so ever one sows, that s/he must reap.” 

Taming of the Mob

Barely two months after I took over headship of the Corps in Anambra State, commercial motorcycle operator hoodlums invaded the Command base. But they were in for a massive surprise. They never knew there was a change of guard at the Command. From the Awka – Onitsha dual carriageway, the mob surged towards the command. More than once, before my assumption of duty at Awka, they had, for unfounded, flimsy reasons, invaded the command base, destroying vehicles and window glasses of buildings. I noticed the scared movements of the officers and men. Some were already trying to scale the partition wall at the back separating the command and the next premises. 

I quickly stopped those attempting to escape, and ordered every available staff to grab the bits of iron rods and discarded motor parts in the premises. I arranged them in groups and assigned strategic locations to them, instructing them to use broken down vehicles and wooden panels as shields from any missiles which may be hurled by the mob. I rushed upstairs. I was dressed up in my usual, properly starched, well ironed, crisp and clean combat uniform. Standing at the veranda overlooking the entrance gate, I observed the leader advancing ahead of the mob towards the gate. His intention of forcing the gate open was obvious. Compelling. Commanding. My voice projected forth. It’s carrying power, tremendous and arresting, as that of a seasoned parade commander. I ordered the chief thug to stay away from the gate. The thug temporarily froze. Stopped by the tone, cadence and authority of my voiced command. 

“Now move back, all of you. Anyone of you who touches that gate or nears the wall would be treated like an armed robber!” I roared a command.

The mob, as if enchanted, began retreating, slowly at first, towards the Awka – Onitsha dual carriageway. I quickly descended downstairs to the gate to meet and address them. 

“If you have any grievances against my men, let three of your representatives come and bring your complaints to us. We will attend to you like the responsible people you are supposed to be. But when you, as a raging mob, invade our premises, destroying the properties of government and other people; with the intent to kill or harm my men, you do not expect us to fold our hands and just watch you have a field day to our detriment.” 

I was yet addressing the now ‘tamed’ mob, when the police team I called earlier arrived. The team leader inquired of me if they should go ahead and disperse the crowd. I asked them to standby. So they waited while I enlightened the ‘mob’ on why they must embrace the attitude of safety on the highways. Some from the crowd asked questions which I answered to their satisfaction. Gradually, no longer exuding fury; shorn of all vestiges of hostility, they quietly, gradually left.

To be continued...