By Ahmed Funsho Hadnan
Dear Commissioner,
I will like to extend a warm welcome to you as the first female Commissioner of Police in Kwara State. Congratulations on your appointment, and I wish you the very best in your new assignment.
Kwara State has long been known for its peace and harmony among the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria. Business owners have enjoyed freedom and a serene atmosphere within the state, and I hope this continues during and beyond your tenure.
I am writing to bring your attention to the current closing hours policy for motorists in Kwara. This policy has been in existence before your appointment as the new Police head in the state and it has adversely affected many business owners, individuals, and workers. I believe it is necessary to revise and review this policy, as the 9 pm closing time may have a detrimental impact on businesses in the state.
On the 10th of July, I was traveling from Malete and arrived at the Gambari area shortly after 9 pm. While on board in a keke to Sango, we were stopped by your officers at Maraba. During this encounter, they took advantage of the situation to extort the driver, which unfortunately is a well-known undoing amongst some officers of the Police Command in Kwara. The act of unfairly targeting and extorting the youth is also prevalent, with a general assumption that all young individuals are involved in fraudulent activities, especially when you’re blessed to have an iPhone device of your own.
The policy of closing hours for commercial vehicles in the state also seems to be a means for some police officers to exploit the public. I kindly request that you review this policy and put an end to the harassment of citizens by your officers.
Once again, I wish you a successful tenure in office.
Yours sincerely.
Ahmed Funsho Hadnan writes from Ilorin.
You can reach him on [email protected]
