Saturday, September 26, 2009

The Day Writefreak Became Friends With The Nigerian Police...

We have two apologies or are they excuses for gatemen. They don't know their jobs and when you decide to spell their duties out to them, they always have a reason to do contrary to what you tell them.

One is perpetually drunk, i am not exaggerating; morning, afternoon, night but he never agrees that he's drunk. If he's not sleeping, he'l lying down in the gatehouse with a woman (yes, hubby has had to wake him up to come open the gate beside a woman before!) . The other is a regular at the village close to us. I suppose he sees like minded people there but then he is employed to watch our gate, not to fraternise with villagers. Their sins are too many, i don't want to bore you with all the details. One thing is sure though, they are sorry excuses for gatemen or security.

A few days ago, our living room lock decided to act up and they key wouldn't turn. It was a Sunday and it was Sallah so we couldn't get anyone to come fix it. It wasn't so much of an issue, we live in a very secure area. I can confess that there are times i'm home alone that i've forgotten to lock the door. There's a main bullet proof door that serves as the entrance to the four apartments in our building, we all neglect to lock it atimes. I told hubby to make sure it was locked that night and we went to bed.

As our custom is (we're both night owls), we went to bed very late and then at about 2 a.m, there was a knock on our bedroom window. Yes, the gateman was knocking the window of our bedroom to answer your question! We happen to live downstairs. HUbby went to ask him what was up, it was the perpetually drunk one, let's call him N, he said his colleague S was ill and lying on the floor sick. Hubby wanted to know exactly what was wrong with him, the guy couldn't tell so he went to the fridge and brought out mist mag and panadol. The guy should choose his poison. He was on his way back from the kitchen when N started shouting 'oga', 'oga' (pronounced the northern way...lol)..there are people with him and i can't go there'. That was a bit scary, then he started shouting round the house, calling for hubby to come out. We heard him arguing with someone so hubby decided to stay put.

In the confusion,hubby told me to get in the guest bathroom and i locked myself in. I had started shaking and trying to remind myself of scriptures i know about protection and safety...lol...I looked up and the window of the bathroom was slightly open, some wiring was passed through there, i couldn't stay on my own, no way!I went out and hubby had locked the bedroom door, i started knocking, he asked to make sure i was alone..lol..scary cat! Thankfully a friend who is out of the country left his car with us and we could set the panic button without going out....(we have to get in our own car to set the alarm) so hubby let the alarm go off continously while he called our neighbours on the phone, they were also awake.

I have some numbers for the police on my phone, a friend who had a theft episode in her house last year gave the numbers to me. She had told me she called the police and they came, i thought it wasn't possible and only took the numbers with a pinch of salt. Hubby took the numbers and called the police, they asked for directions to our place. I also had the police commissioner's number, i called him but my voice was shaking, hubby took the phone and spoke to him so coherently. Honestly, i don't know how he does it but he was so in control! I'm proud of my man.I lay on the bed while he continued setting off the alarms, checking the window and calling the police.

Not too long after the calls, we heard a siren, they called to make sure they were on the right street, and when they heard the car alarm, they stopped in front of our house. It was like watching a movie! From our bedroom window, i saw armed policemen come in and search the premises for any intruders. Oh by the way, they fired two shots outside the gate before they came in.They searched the whole place and then called hubby it was ok to come out. Hubby and the neighbour upstairs went out to meet them. They came in three cars and there were ten of them, wow!The commissioner called back to find out if we had seen his men, we told him yes. The lady upstairs and i chatted about the incident on the phone while our husbands were out talking to the policemen.

Whoever the intruders were had left probably when the car alarm started going off. The mazing thing is a female police officer had to pour water on the second gateman to wake up after they forced the gate open. They advised us to get better security, he was obviously drunk!It didn't end there, a few minutes later, another batch of policemen came to make sure everything was fine. Honestly, i was wowed, i didn't think things like that happen in this beloved country of ours. I guess you nevere know until you try.

One thing is sure, our gatemen are going to be fired and replaced and we're going to get some kinda civil defence or mobile police patrol (yeah, i live with influential people who can get them without hassles..hahaha)...So i think the Nigerian police is really my friend afterall. If there was any grudge i had against them, i forgave that night.

When everything calmed down, hubby then started feeling tired, he had been a real man through it all and i had been a 'shaky shaky' real woman, although i tried to appear calm on the surface. The idiotic gateman had apparently opened all our living room windows from outside while he was shouting 'oga, oga' and nobody came out. That was such a foolish act on his part and honestly i think he would have attempted to come in if we hadn't locked the bullet proof door.Thank God for safety, thank God because His promises to watch over us day and night (He neither sleeps nor slumbers) were kept and thank God for the Nigerian police!

Have a nice and safe weekend everyone!

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow...im first?
and i felt soooo sooo good reading this.
nigerian police men vary from place to place..where i used to live when i was in nigeria they used to come too..they used to chase the armrobbers all the time and sometimes manage to shoot down their tires.
thats why when i read some thing about police brutality on blogville i was shocked cos where i lived they really were our friends.they knew every body's names.it was real fun.
and yeah im glad everything turned out well.
no wonder its a safe place,the theives are prolly scared of police men who are really nice and actually come to our service.

Rita said...

Calling you right away...So glad to hear that our police are working...

jhazmyn said...

For some reason, this post has got me laughing...i agree with leggy though, police men vary from place to place...hubby's recent trip to onitsha is a proof...the guys there give a new definition to brutality.

The sad fact is, when it comes to the NPF, the bad outweighs the good

jhazmyn said...

For some reason, this post has got me laughing...i agree with leggy though, police men vary from place to place...hubby's recent trip to onitsha is a proof...the guys there give a new definition to brutality.

The sad fact is, when it comes to the NPF, the bad outweighs the good

Chiamaka said...

Wow! pure praise for the Nigerian police. apart from propaganda, this is the first good news i have heard about Nigerian police i think. thank God for his mercies, and for keeping you safe

Myne said...

Thank God for safety, if it were just the police, they're just the arms of men that can fail.

Fragilelooks said...

Thank God 4 una safety. Wish i could say the same 4 d police in my hood. Once dere's a gunshot, dey take off dia uniform and run. COWARDS.

Zayzee said...

i always knew there is hope for our beloved country. God on our side. Nigeria is on the way. It has started already.
This is such an amazing story and I think you should write a letter and send to a print media. the police deserve to be praised when they act like this. who knows, such testimony could waken others.

aloted said...

thank God o...and thank God u had a good experience with the police...

I am yet to have that good experience..

lol@hubby asking if u were alone...so if u werent he wont have opened the door?? lol

NoLimit said...

Obara Jesus!!!
It is well with you o!
Just called you some seconds ago!!!

temmy tayo said...

Thank God for your life but then I am a lil surprisd at the Ploce. Maybe Naija is rebranding for real.

Anonymous said...

I thank God for his protection of you and hubby, Writefreak! That is quite a frightening episode and I'm so glad that the police were dependable and reliable. Not everyone has had such a positive experience with the cops.

Anonymous said...

I thank God for his protection of you and hubby, Writefreak! That is quite a frightening episode and I'm so glad that the police were dependable and reliable. Not everyone has had such a positive experience with the cops.

Nefertiti said...

LMAO @ Obara Jesus... hehehehehe

Thank God for uncommon grace, favor and protection over our lives. Ur hubby funny gan o. He for no open door? hehehehe.

TRYBES said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TRYBES said...

His promises of protection is forever assured..Glad God brought you through it all without a scar..Happy weekend as well!

Tigeress said...

We thank God for His protection.

Anonymous said...

that gateman is very suspicious o!Thank God!!

Anonymous said...

that gateman is very suspicious o!Thank God!!

Fluffycutething said...

Naija police is apparently operate on two extremes!! I've heard of such prompt responses and there are some with the "we don't have a car type" responses...

we thank God for his protection oh!!!

share the numbers now!!!!

Dee! said...

Good to hear you are okay.

So you actually got a positive response from the Nigerian Police? That is impressive! Thank God.

Hope you had a swell weekend! Stay blessed!

Anonymous said...

waoh...what a duo of gatemen u have there...thank God for His protection ova u...n I'm really pleased to hear this +ve news about the Nigerian Police...

Geebee said...

That's definitely a 'first' when it comes to hearing good things about our Nigerian police. in the course of reading, I almost assumed you guys were in yankee or something. Thank God for his security and protection all thesame. How are you doing, ma'am?

Dayo Nigeria said...

Also had a good experience with the Nigerian Police about 3 weeks ago. Was going for a workshop at Victoria Island and it was raining, then an Assistant Superintendent of Police by name Etim Inyang askked me where i was going, and he volunteered to drive me to the Airforce Officers Mess. We are definitely getting things right. Thank God for our country.

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

Thank God your family is safe! As for hat gateman, no comment.

I am so happy to read this positive experience with police officers because most of what I have heard and even Adaeze's recent experience in Onitsha have been negative beyond belief. And this is coming from someone who has family members in all manner of uniformed armed services in Nigeria. Despite that, even I do not automatically trust uniformed men and women.

Anyway, good to know you are okay and I have shared this positive story on Twitter so more people will know of at least one good thing regarding Nigeria's police force.

Take care, dear.

tobenna said...

Good and refreshing to read something good about the Nigerian Police Force.

The Activist said...

Thank God for your safety. Just like Tobenna said, it's refreshing to read something good abt the Nigerian police...

Anonymous said...

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH MY GOSH!!!
I am Speechless
the funny thing is that I could picture this CLEARLY~~~
Jesos !!!
Thank God o
Haven't I been telling you guys to fire those two? Ehn...I didn't even know that S drinks...
WOW
He was my favourite.

Enkay said...

Now that's one star added to the the Nigerian Police's already battered image.

Thank God o!

How have you been?