INTERVIEW: I Left Oil Company To Join Police Force Because It’s God’s Work — DPO

This interview with Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Victor Ogbeide, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Utako Police Division, begins a series of interviews THE WHISTLER would be having with police officers who have demonstrated uncommon patriotism and professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) approved this website to identify and interview police officers who have excelled at their duties to protect residents of the FCT.

It is our way of celebrating officers who are making sacrifices for the welfare and protection of the people. While some officers of the Force may have given it a bad public image due to shameless disregard for due process and corruption, we are also aware that the Nigeria Police Force has some of the most conscientious, competent and patriotic officers any police force could have.

The situation gets worse in the event of the insecurity ravaging the country, leaving police officers overwhelmed, despite the ostentatious lack facing the system.

CSP Ogbeide has served the NPF in different capacities, at home and abroad. He has strong expertise in Tactical/ Crack/Tracking Operations.

Excerpts:

Why Did You Join the Police?

My name is CSP Godfrey Victor Ogbeide. I joined the Police Force as Cadet ASP precisely August 15, 2002. I joined the Force not because I was not working; I was an operational manager in one of the oil firms in Rivers State, Port Harcourt.

I joined the Force because of Passion. You know, God is omniscient and omnipotent. He gives talents and potential to everybody; I feel that I have the flare for security and the comparative advantage in doing that.

Do You Feel Fulfilled As Police Officer, And Are you Happy With Your Profession?

Yes, I feel very fulfilled. If I reincarnate, I will wish to join the Police Force because the police are like a Reverend Father or Pastor because you are touching people’s lives. If criminals will go and attack, kill and kidnap somebody, and you can take them off the streets, then you are doing God’s work.

What Are Some Professional Hazards You Have Experienced In Your Line Of Duty?

We have so many hazards. Precisely, in Imo State last two years, we were attacked by members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), and one of my boys paid the supreme price. So many times, as a tactical commander, we confront hoodlums one-on-one, and by God’s grace, He has seen me through it because these criminals, if they don’t like you, will want to get rid of you.

So, it’s a field of hazards, and you have to be professional while dealing with them. Most of the hazards, are seen when you are a victim of hoodlums and, as a police officer, your boys can be killed. However, the IGP is trying to see how to assuage that feeling by giving them some funds, employment and other things. But apart from being attacked, there is also the hazard of post-trauma that most policers go through because if you lose a loved one it is a big trauma.

Is There A Body Responsible For Handling Post Trauma Operation For Officers?

What happens in the police force is a microcosm of what happens in the larger society. The question I will ask you is, is there any psychological trauma centre you have in Nigerian society? We don’t. So, you have to rely on an improvised way of rationing ourselves through churches and mosques.

What Are the Dangers You Have Encountered Leading The Police Team In Utako?

In Utako, one of the divisions in FCT, we have equally carried out very proactive operations, and most of the operations may need to take us out of Utako because crime and criminalities don’t have jurisdiction. For example, you have some cases of robbery or armed robbery, they came from somewhere, right? Right now my boys are in Zaria, so we lead operations.s

There was one time we went to Suleja, the people tried to attack us but we repelled them and recover the vehicle. So, here in Utako, we have dominated the area. They know that we are professionals; we have all it takes and we are sincere with all that we are doing because if you do Police work with sincerity, Nigerians will support you.

Can You Highlight Major Operations Your Team Has Executed?

When I came here, stealing vehicles from Utako was the order of the day. They could be about three to four vehicles stolen in a day. We had to crime map the area, particularly in the Utako market. We put all the digital analysis — surveillance with both drones and CCTV. We wanted to get some clue as to who they are. We went after them and we got them arrested.

For the past four months, the removal of cars from the Utako market has ceased, and that is a very big success story.

The other one was the case of those people that killed one young man, Bonaventure Ugwu from Enugu State, he had just passed out from NYSC, and he was doing Uber. While at Daki Biu, he was accosted by some hoodlums. They said, ‘Give me your phone and he refused. They tried to drag it and they stabbed him to death.

These things still happen, not in our area but in Daki Biu, but because of our synergies, we went after them and arrested them. There are so many, even the one where more than 15 armed robbers went to a house at games village. It came out on CCTV, we equally synergized with Wuye Division, and all of them were arrested. We recovered arms and ammunition.

What is Your Motivation?

Like I said God created humans to solve problems. First, you need to identify why God created you. This is our country, if we all run away nobody will take care of our country, and bare in mind that I have worked outside the county, and I returned in 2016. So, I believed that in those countries where we go and have peace, people make sacrifices and the entire country is becoming a safer place.

I believe that in my capacity as a police officer, I have to make sure that there is peace and security; people can go home and sleep with their two eyes closed because I know that this life is transient. After some time, you will be gone, so what impact and legacy have you made? That is what keeps me going. I believe I am here to fulfil my destiny. I am not looking at the police as a job, but as a destiny to ensure that I make an impact wherever I find myself.

Now Let’s Talk About Your Professionalism, I Have Seen Quite A Lot Of Things You Have Done to Enhance Your Work. Can You Expand On That?

Most police in Africa, especially in Nigeria are policing the 21 digital century. You see, when you are policing without this digitalisation, you are policing the unknown. For example, if you are in my office, you can see what is happening outside. So, that is what gives me the morale and willpower to ensure that we won’t be in darkness policing people.

Apart from this one, I have a surveillance drone that can survey my area in less than three minutes and come back to the base and I know what’s happening in my area. I attended a course in Isreal and we were the best. I was one of the best both in Isreal and Italy. Then they asked, ‘Victor why is it that you are best? Another man said, “we are policing the unknown while they are policing the known.”

You can imagine I am here in this office and I don’t know what’s happening outside. So, my approach to solving problems outside will be somehow difficult. I will equally feel that a police station isn’t a dustbin. We have to make our place decent. That is why you can see the compound is been floored and the other building has been renovated to make it standard because you will be addressed the way you make your house.

In Terms Of Operational Equipment, How Has The Division Been Fairing?

There are some weapons and instruments I can’t tell you but the ones I can tell you about are the surveillance drone and CCTV. In terms of equipment, I think the IGP in his magnanimity gave us a Hilux last month.

Have You Seen Any Officer Within The Command Or Your Division, That You Wish Was Given National Honours, and Why?

The Police rules and regulations do not allow you to make a recommendation of an officer. You don’t recommend a senior officer, but a junior officer. For example, we have one here in Utako and as I told you, I build people anywhere I am and what I do first, is to identify and build, and one of these officers holds one of the units called “Ambush.” He is no other person than ASP Paul Onuh.

He has been fantastic and professional. Most of the successes we have here, 80 per cent, go to his input.

How Do You Know a Professional Police Officer?

How do you know a professional officer? He doesn’t think about corruption; doesn’t look for money and his response time. For example, if something is happening in Berger, I will call him, and his response time, in less than three minutes he is there. That is patriotism and discipline.

He ensures that his boys are there within that period. In terms of characteristics of a good officer, he must not be corrupt. A corrupt officer can not do anything fantastic for society. For example, let me digress a bit for you to understand.

People were robbed in Life camp which is not my jurisdiction. We had to sponsor our boys on our own to help out and go to Kaduna and Kano to ensure that they arrest the culprits. As a police officer, you have so much goodwill and people come to appreciate you, to say thank you for what you have done. Most of all these things, we still send it back to our society.

So, Onuh is professional. He is not corrupt. He wants to make an impact. He doesn’t like crime because if a crime happens, I will not be happy, he will not be happy also because we are paid to protect lives and property. It is only a foolish person who is being paid to do something and something else is happening and you are comfortable. So, those actions and patriotism stand him out and a good police officer cannot lie.

If you Are The President What Will You Do Better In the Police System?

Firstly, policing is for the people, by the people and of the people — that is my definition of Police. You have to make police-oriented, community base decisions and the way police are in Nigeria, so many departments have been cut off and I don’t want to mention names.

Who are those in charge of immigration and customs? I worked abroad and I worked in Polizia Di Frontera, which is like immigration, and border patrol. They are all under the police, but here you have a police command or institution that is not controlling immigration and customs. So, the situation of arms movement, movement of foreigners and illegal immigrants came from these areas.

So, you see most of the time, when this happens, they call the police, and the police do not have the power over those parastatals. If I were the president, I will ensure that Police are in charge of those gathering intelligence, those at the border and both customs and immigration will have to be under the police.

Most institutions which are often revenue-based should be security-based. How many foreigners for example have been repatriated? In Utako where I work, there are so many foreigners. Do the police have the right to bring out anyone from his place and question them? No. So, as a president, I will ensure these agencies are under the police.

Are There Other Things You Will Like To Say?

Another thing I will equally add is the police salary. I don’t talk about police salary. I talk about subsidizing Police needs. For example, the policemen’s children, their school fees should be highly subsidized both private and public. You don’t expect a policeman in this presence police circumstance to put his child in some of those private schools.

Where do you think the policeman will get such money? Because of that most policemen try to go outside… because they have the comparativeness in terms of, if we are classmates or agemates and you put your child in a certain school, I too will want to do the same. Abroad, what they do is to ensure that in both public and private schools, fees are highly-subsidised once you are a police officer. Then the working tools and logistics are also not a burden.