Opinion: Does the IGP lives on the moon?


By: Ola Pat

Sometime ago, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase gave a peculiar order. That order gave rise to the title of this writing. It is now obvious that little has changed from the Nigeria we cast out with our votes and the Nigeria we voted for. Nigerians not only lack essential and concrete evidence of government, they are constantly subjected to harassment and funny-reason-pattern in policies making both from the voted and the appointed. News reports claimed that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Arase has ordered the arrest of anybody selling or buying petrol in Jerry cans. Is the IGP living on the moon?

With no iota of doubt, all these people, who associate or relate with power, do live the days of their life on the Nigerian moon away from the rest of us.  They operate away from us; formulate policies for us away from our realities. If not, how would the Inspector General of police criminalized getting petrol (in Jerry cans) that is never available in petrol stations. It's smacked of a moon order, from a man unaware of his environment, far from reality. A reality that compel you to work anyhow, a reality that forces talents to become “hasslers”. A reality of only the strongest survived. There is no debate about it, they are not aware of this peculiar environment and they are very far from this reality because we have padded their days with comfort, stuff their lives with luxury. They are the gods and goddesses of Olympus, whose abode is away from their subjects.

During the debate for fuel price increments during President Jonathan's administration, all the panelists for price increments, who at the same time were members of the government, were asked how they get their fuel for personal use. Lo and behold, they got it free, part of our unnecessary generosity to a group of overpaid, over pampered government officials. But, I ask can a stranger decide for my family? Should overfeed servants choose for the masters? That is the life we live. That is the way we are. The IGP that get free petrol courtesy of the public pulse, the IGP by virtue of his office that gets petrol gifts and the IGP that could get fuel at gunpoint has criminalize fuel in Jerry cans. Desperate times, they say need desperate solution.  The government has failed to provide petrol in petrol stations, just as they have failed to provide good roads, transportation system, electricity and a host of government responsibility.

IGP Solomon Arase has successfully released two monsters that will have an unimaginable consequence on the nation as a whole. Firstly, his instruction will finally put the country economic activities on full stop especially the micro-economy. This section of the economy runs on I-pass-my-neighbour generators, these are your tailors, salons, vulgarizer, pepper grinders and others.  Then the second major problem of this petrol and Jerry cans issue is that petrol in Jerry cans will continue but only men in uniform will be able to carry on the illegality. Mr. Arase have successfully empowered and monopolized for his corrupt prone and trigger happy constituency the business of petrol in Jerry cans in addition to their other illegal business services from motor-boy-escort, danfo driving to okada riding.


It is a conspiracy that the IGP failed to tackle petrol diversion to neighbouring countries, it is incomprehensible that people that are verse in economics theories refuse to draw the attention of the security officer to the economic impact of his order. Where were the stakeholders when he was formulating this policy? Until this order is repealed, I will either have to buy a car, or borrow from my neighbours in other to Power my generating set.

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