Sergeant Chukwudi Iboko: Why Nigerians’ gesture should serve as turning point in Police-Citizen relationship
Concerned Nigerians have rallied in support of the family of slain police officer, Sergeant Chukwudi Iboko, who died in a brave attempt to thwart robbers at a Zenith Bank branch on Wetheral Road, Owerri, Imo State.
Since the video of Iboko’s bravery went viral a week ago, the attention of the general public has been drawn to his family’s plight.
Chukwuebuka, Iboko’s 5-year-old son was said to have slumped and died after seeing his father’s corpse.
The family also reportedly owed their landlord 15 months rent amounting to N180,000.
All of these have drawn sympathy from well-meaning Nigerians, and a GoFundMe account has been opened to cater for Iboko’s wife and remaining six children.
So far, the account has raised about $11,000(N3.9m) from the $15,000(N5m) target. A sum of N200,000 has also been raised to cover the rent of the Ibokos.
This gesture is one to be appreciated by the Nigerian Police force as a whole. One to be seen as a profound statement that citizens are compassionate and are willing to be friends with law enforcers.
Police should see these kind of gestures shown by citizens as one of many reasons to start protecting them, rather than assaulting and killing them. They should desist from unprofessional acts which have worryingly become the norm.
When the Nigerian Police Force looks within itself to show as much compassion for innocent citizens as is being shown for Sergeant Iboko’s family, then the country can be united in fighting all forms of criminal activities.
