When military hijacks police duties

SOLDIERS have killed yet another civilian. Abdulsamad Jamiu, a young man serving his country under the NYSC scheme, was gunned down on April 25 right in his room in Dei-Dei, Abuja, by troops of the Brigade of Guards.

The Nigerian Army claims he was “caught in crossfire” while responding to a robbery distress call.

Jamiu’s family insists there was no robbery and no exchange of gunfire. Their son, they say, was shot through his door after soldiers scaled the fence, entered the house and opened fire. Footage shows apparent bullet holes on the door.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case.

On Saturday, soldiers went berserk in Ogba, Lagos, while they were directing traffic – and perhaps raking in bribes. For stating the obvious about how their misconduct was causing a traffic snarl, a soldier attacked and humiliated a journalist with TheCable, Olalekan Fakoyejo.

This is offensive and barbaric.

But this is what happens when the Army hijacks the role of the police. Calamity becomes almost inevitable.

Killing Citizen Jamiu was bad enough. Attempting to mask the circumstances with a questionable narrative only compounds the outrage.

This is a grave abuse of force.

Many must wonder why troops of the Guards Brigade, ordinarily charged with protecting the seat of power, would be running around civilian residential estates, chasing robbers.

It highlights a deeper, recurring problem in Nigeria’s security architecture: the steady and dangerous drift of the military into policing duties.

The military is trained and structured to defend the country against external threats and, in limited circumstances, support civil authorities under clearly defined rules.

Responding to robbery, investigating crimes, directing traffic, and managing civilian environments are the constitutional responsibilities of the police. Carrying out these duties requires a different kind of training, restraint, and accountability framework.

When soldiers assume these roles, the results are often disastrous.

Nigeria has seen this pattern before, repeatedly, and with deadly consequences.

For allegedly delaying the convoy of Harry Arogundade (a rear-admiral), Navy ratings stripped and humiliated Uzoma Okere in 2008 on a Lagos street. Thankfully, the court ordered him to pay N100 million in damages.

In Taraba State in 2019, soldiers attacked a police team transporting a suspected kidnap kingpin. In a shocking breakdown of coordination, the troops killed three police officers and a civilian, then released the suspect. That incident stunned the country and exposed the dangers of overlapping mandates and poor discipline.

In Ogun State in 2023, after a soldier was killed in an altercation with a police officer, soldiers reportedly retaliated by burning down the Ogijo police station. While the Army authorities initially distanced themselves, the episode reflected how quickly military involvement in civil matters can descend into lawlessness.

In Lagos State in 2022, a police inspector died after reportedly being tortured by soldiers at the Trade Fair.

Once again, a situation that should have been handled within civil law enforcement spiralled into brutality once military actors took control.

These incidents show how the militarisation of civilian spaces erodes professionalism, weakens accountability, and endangers lives, including those of fellow security personnel.

A useful contrast lies in how mature democracies handle similar situations.

On May 22, 2013, when Lee Rigby, a British soldier, was murdered near the Royal Artillery Barracks in London, the response was led entirely by the police.

The military did not take over the streets, conduct raids, or go after the murder suspects. That restraint reflects a clear understanding of institutional roles and maintaining them.

Even in grief and anger, the system held.

Why should it be different in Nigeria?

Why should soldiers be the ones chasing robbers, scaling residential fences, searching homes, and firing through locked doors?

Why should they be mounting roadblocks, escorting civilians, guarding private interests and social events (parties), or intervening in land disputes that have nothing to do with national defence?

These overlapping responsibilities are not only inappropriate—they are dangerous. They blur the lines of authority, encourage impunity, and place weapons of war in situations that demand measured, civilian-oriented responses.

The consequences are already evident. Discipline suffers. Professional boundaries dissolve. Civilians become vulnerable. And tragedies like the killing of Abdulsamad Jamiu occur with alarming frequency.

Soldiers are not trained to police civilians; they are trained to neutralise threats. That distinction is critical.

In a war zone, hesitation can be fatal. In a civilian environment, restraint is essential. When the wrong mindset is applied to the wrong setting, the outcome is often irreversible.

This is why accountability in Citizen Jamiu’s case is non-negotiable. There must be a thorough, transparent, and independent investigation—not one confined within military structures alone.

The Chief of Army Staff must ensure that any personnel found culpable face a court-martial. Anything less would signal tolerance for impunity.

Civil courts, too, must play their role. If wrongdoing is established, Jamiu’s family deserves justice, including adequate compensation. No institution should be above the law, and no uniform should shield wrongdoing.

Ultimately, responsibility rests with the country’s leadership. President Bola Tinubu must take decisive steps to address this systemic problem.

The continued reliance on joint task forces that merge military and police functions has only deepened confusion and abuse. The joint task forces should be disbanded forthwith.

The police force must be properly equipped, funded, and reformed to handle its constitutional duties. The vacuum that invites military intervention often exists because the police are under-resourced. Fixing that imbalance is essential.

The military must return to its core mandate. The police must be empowered to do their job.

The killing of Abdulsamad Jamiu is not just a tragedy; it forewarns about many more similar incidents that are bound to occur if nothing changes.