A major takeaway from the reprisal attacks on SA owned businesses in Nigeria is the need for more collaboration and engagement between the Nigerian police force and citizens in affected communities to track and contain the looters. The police would have to drive the engagement for optimal returns to all stakeholders.
The opportunity is the application of the “neighbour principle”. It is a principle of English law which states, “a person should take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions that are foreseeable as likely to cause injury to a neighbour.”. It is a significant pillar of insurance practice.
Those who took advantage of the reprisal attacks, looting shops in malls with Shoprite stores as anchor tenants are a threat not only to the affected shop owners but to consumers. More people are at risk than is apparent. Make no mistake about it. Thieves used the opportunity of the mob to rob.
They will attempt to sell off those items in the market. The police have rendered the first public service by warning potential customers against patronising items offered at ridiculously low prices. They need to do more.
The police should open a register in the stations or district offices closest to each of the affected shops. Shop owners should collaborate with the police. They would offer a detailed inventory of their stolen stocks such as they would do to their insurance companies. The inventory should include tracking identifiers such as registration or license numbers, product and device IDs for laptops, certificate numbers for iPhones and things like IMEI numbers for every other type of phone.
Watches, electronics, and such other items have serial numbers.
Blow the whistle communally if someone suddenly has an unexplained device purchase. Look closely and check with the police if you buy an item at prices that are not congruent with existing market rates.
The Shoprite heist happened at a time Nigeria is going through what we could term a moral crisis. Recently, the FBI drew up a list of 77 persons wanted for fraud in the US. Some of those already identified are persons who often made a show of their “new” money to the applause of many. No one could account for their cash or its source.
Moreover, major allegation laid by the South Africans against Nigerians is the claim that the latter is at the vanguard of criminality in illicit drug trades and others. Nigerians reacted against the claim saying, “while there may be some criminals, they do not describe our country.
“Our country has communal values against theft, unexplained wealth and inventory in homes and on persons.” Societies work through collaboration. As an old radio jingle stated, “armed robber no be spirit.” They live in the community.
Reclaiming the moral virtues of Nigeria would be central and contributory to any effort aimed at repositioning our reputation. No amount of news releases or press conferences would make a dent.
In a shop at the Sangotedo neighbourhood during the heist period, the shop attendant, his friends, and his madam were discussing the incidence. Their consensus was that those who got the items were “lucky”. I rebuked them, pointing out that it was thievery. No! they claimed, stating that security personnel including soldiers, allegedly encouraged and permitted the crowd to move in. I said it was untrue and impossible.
Even if it were so, the security personnel do not own the shops. We all know what is right and wrong. Suddenly, the shop owner agreed. She said her husband took offense at the move to participate in the act. “He condemned the notion,” she said.
Citizens are confused as to what moral values to uphold. We must collectively proclaim and defend the right norms to eliminate that confusion for the average Nigerian.
Reclaiming the moral virtues of Nigeria would be central and contributory to any effort aimed at repositioning our reputation. No amount of news releases or press conferences would make a dent. Actions provide the basis for narratives and repeated narratives establishes a reputation. Once the activities of Nigerians change, the stories would change.
The law enforcement agents must work with citizens to uphold the laws of the country. Laws, draw on the moral codes of a society. Ultimately, the police can only do so much as citizens empower them, based on shared values.
The professional team of the Nigeria police communications division needs to drive this effort through public service messages that link the public interest with the role of the police. Do the right thing. Do it right.
