By Chido Nwakanma
One of the fallouts of the retribution attacks on South African-owned businesses in Nigeria is an opportunity for greater collaboration and engagement between the Nigerian Police Force and citizens in affected communities to track and contain the looters. The Police would have to drive the engagement for optimal returns to all stakeholders. It is the opportunity for Nigerians to act as one in the matter of crime detection and containment.
The opportunity is the application of the Neighbour Principle. The Neighbour Principle draws from English Law and stipulates that each person should take care to look out for his neighbour and ensure not to cause injury to her. It is a significant pillar of insurance practice.
The heist committed by looters against various shops in malls with Shoprite Stores as anchor tenants is a threat not only to the affected shop owners but to consumers of goods and services stolen from those shops. More people are at risk than is apparent. Make no mistake about it. Thieves used the opportunity of the mob to rob.
They will now attempt to sell off those items in the market. The Nigerian Police has rendered the first public service by warning potential customers against patronising items offered at ridiculously low prices. They need to do more.
The Police should open a register in the stations or District Offices closest to each of the affected shops. Shop owners should collaborate with the Nigerian Police. They would offer a detailed inventory of their stolen stocks such as they would do to their insurance companies. That inventory would include tracking identifiers such as registration or license numbers, product and device IDs for laptops, certificate numbers for Iphones and things like IMEI numbers for every other type of phones. Watches, electronics and most such items have serial numbers.
Citizens have a role to play in collaboration with the Nigerian Police. Blow the whistle communally if someone suddenly has an unexplained device purchase. Look closely and check with the Police if you buy an item at prices that are not congruent with existing market rates.
The Shoprite Heist happened at a time of moral crisis for Nigeria. Recently, the FBI drew up a list of 77 persons wanted for fraud in the United States. Some of those already identified are persons who often made a show of their new money to the applause of many. No one could account for their cash or its source.
Moreover, a central pillar of the allegations by the South Africans is the claim that Nigerians in their country are at the vanguard of criminality in the illicit drug trade and others. Nigerians counter and say, while there may be some criminals, they do not describe our country.
Our country had communal values against theft, unexplained wealth and inventory in homes and on persons. Societies work through collaboration. As an old radio jingle stated, “armed robber no be spirit”. They live in the community.
In a shop at the Sangotedo neighbourhood in the week of the heist, the shop attendant, his friends and his madam were discussing the incident. Their consensus was that those who got the items were “lucky”. I hushed them, pointing out that it was thievery. No, they claimed. They claimed that security personnel including soldiers, allegedly allowed or encouraged the crowd to move in. I said it was untrue and impossible. Even if it were so, the security personnel do not own the shops. We all know right and wrong.
Suddenly Madam Shop Owner agreed. She said her husband took umbrage with her when she regretted to his hearing not being on hand to participate in the bazaar. He condemned the notion.
Citizens are confused as to what moral values to uphold. We must collectively as a society proclaim and defend the correct norms to eliminate that confusion for the average citizen.
Reclaiming the moral virtues of Nigeria would be central and contributory to any effort to reposition our reputation. No amount of news releases or press conferences would make a dent. Actions provide the basis for narratives and repeated narratives establish a reputation. Once the activities of Nigerians change, the stories would change.
Everywhere law enforcement works with citizens to uphold the laws. Laws draw on the moral codes of society. Ultimately, the police can only do so much as citizens empower them to do based on shared values.
The very professional team of the Nigeria Police Communications Division would drive this effort through public service messages that link the public interest with the role of the police. Do the right thing. Do it right.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.