Nigerian Mobile Police
Encyclopedia
The Nigerian Mobile Police (MOPOL) force is a paramilitary
arm of the Nigeria Police Force
and operate under orders from Nigeria's federal government.
The 40,000 strong PMF is deployed in 52 Police Mobile Squadrons, each of approximately 700 men, spread amongst the 36 State Commands and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
off shore flow station, Pipeline protection, and other oil related servicing companies.
The Police Mobile Force conducts nationwide anti-crime patrols to combat organized crime. They have equally been involved in patrolling and maintenance of law and order operations in volatile states of the country such as Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Kano, and Bauchi.
trousers and canvas boots, accompanied by a black cap or beret (black/green as well as an automatic rifle. As guardians of oil operations, MOPOL may carry the designation of the company name on their equipment.
The Mobile Police have been widely reported as brutal violators of human rights
, particularly during the 1990s, which has earned them the nickname "Kill-and-Go" amongst the Nigerian population (this is because they are known to gun down innocent civilians and simply walk away with impunity). The MOPOL constitute one of the primary means of political repression employed by the Nigerian state for maintaining control over the population; they were involved in such cases as the oppression and occupation of Ogoniland
and MOSOP in the mid-1990s, as well as the Ijaw and Itsekiri
conflicts in the latter portion of the decade. Individual human rights abuses are too widespread for reportage, however, reports by the BBC include instances of "killing of a soccer fan over his T-shirt, the killing of five traders who were robbed and the shooting of a popular local musician after a musical performance over money" . As part of the Internal Security Task Force deployed in Ogoniland
, police funded by Shell
opened fire on unarmed protesters, "killing one person and wounding several others" .
The Mobile Police are also intimately connected to the security apparatus of the oil corporations
operating in Nigeria, particularly the Niger Delta
, as the companies are required to pay the requisite salaries and expenses of Mobile Police forces engaged in the protection of oil operations. Mobile Police are designated to the protection of company assets and, although the MOPOL are under state control, companies such as Shell have admitted to supplying arms and munitions to their MOPOL conditions. This has earned the MOPOL forces charged with guarding oil facilities titles of "Shell Police", "Mobil
Police", and others .
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
arm of the Nigeria Police Force
Nigeria Police Force
The Nigeria Police formerly known as the Nigeria Police Force is the national police of Nigeria.-Authority:The Nigeria Police Force is designated by Section 194 of the 1979 constitution as the national police of Nigeria with exclusive jurisdiction throughout the country...
and operate under orders from Nigeria's federal government.
Organization
The Police Mobile Force was established as a strike or Anti-riot unit under the control of the Inspector-General of Police to counter incidents of civil disturbance. It is designated to take over operations of major crisis where conventional police units cannot cope.The 40,000 strong PMF is deployed in 52 Police Mobile Squadrons, each of approximately 700 men, spread amongst the 36 State Commands and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Mission
The Mobile Police have developed into a full-fledged security and anti-crime force to combat armed banditry, violent militant groups, religious insurrection, and many others. The police mobile force also provides guards at the residences of senior Police officers, both serving and retired, the Diplomatic community, their offices and senior Government officials. The PMF has also been charged with the protection of strategic economic sites such as oil installations, on andoff shore flow station, Pipeline protection, and other oil related servicing companies.
The Police Mobile Force conducts nationwide anti-crime patrols to combat organized crime. They have equally been involved in patrolling and maintenance of law and order operations in volatile states of the country such as Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Kano, and Bauchi.
Uniforms and equipment
The typical attire of the MOPOL consists of a black shirt/vest with olive drab or khakiKhaki
This article is about the fabric. For the color, see Khaki . Kaki, another name for the persimmon, is often misspelled "Khaki".Khaki is a type of fabric or the color of such fabric...
trousers and canvas boots, accompanied by a black cap or beret (black/green as well as an automatic rifle. As guardians of oil operations, MOPOL may carry the designation of the company name on their equipment.
Criticisms
The constraints besetting the Mobile Police are enormous and varied. These range from lack of adequate office and barracks accommodation to a shortage of arms and ammunition, operational vehicles, communication equipment and non payment of allowances to personnel on emergency duties as at when due.The Mobile Police have been widely reported as brutal violators of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, particularly during the 1990s, which has earned them the nickname "Kill-and-Go" amongst the Nigerian population (this is because they are known to gun down innocent civilians and simply walk away with impunity). The MOPOL constitute one of the primary means of political repression employed by the Nigerian state for maintaining control over the population; they were involved in such cases as the oppression and occupation of Ogoniland
Ogoni people
Ogoni people are one of the many indigenous peoples in the region of southeast Nigeria. They share common oil related environmental problem with the Ijaw people of Niger Delta, but Ogonis are not listed in the list of people historically belonging to Niger Delta...
and MOSOP in the mid-1990s, as well as the Ijaw and Itsekiri
Itsekiri
The Itsekiri are an ethnic group of Nigeria's Niger Delta area, Delta State. The Itsekiri presently number between 800,000–1,000,000 people and live mainly in the Warri South, Warri North and Warri South West local government districts of Delta State on the Atlantic Coast of Nigeria...
conflicts in the latter portion of the decade. Individual human rights abuses are too widespread for reportage, however, reports by the BBC include instances of "killing of a soccer fan over his T-shirt, the killing of five traders who were robbed and the shooting of a popular local musician after a musical performance over money" . As part of the Internal Security Task Force deployed in Ogoniland
Ogoni people
Ogoni people are one of the many indigenous peoples in the region of southeast Nigeria. They share common oil related environmental problem with the Ijaw people of Niger Delta, but Ogonis are not listed in the list of people historically belonging to Niger Delta...
, police funded by Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
opened fire on unarmed protesters, "killing one person and wounding several others" .
The Mobile Police are also intimately connected to the security apparatus of the oil corporations
Petroleum in Nigeria
The petroleum industry in Nigeria is the largest industry and main generator of GDP in the West African nation which is also the continent's most populous...
operating in Nigeria, particularly the Niger Delta
Niger Delta
The Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil...
, as the companies are required to pay the requisite salaries and expenses of Mobile Police forces engaged in the protection of oil operations. Mobile Police are designated to the protection of company assets and, although the MOPOL are under state control, companies such as Shell have admitted to supplying arms and munitions to their MOPOL conditions. This has earned the MOPOL forces charged with guarding oil facilities titles of "Shell Police", "Mobil
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
Police", and others .
See also
- Petroleum in NigeriaPetroleum in NigeriaThe petroleum industry in Nigeria is the largest industry and main generator of GDP in the West African nation which is also the continent's most populous...
- Conflict in the Niger DeltaConflict in the Niger DeltaThe current conflict in the Niger Delta arose in the early 1990s over tensions between the foreign oil corporations and a number of the Niger Delta's minority ethnic groups who felt they were being exploited, particularly the Ogoni and the Ijaw...
- MOSOP Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People
- Nigerian Security OrganizationNigerian Security OrganizationThe Nigerian Security Organization was the state security and intelligence service of the Nigerian government from 1976 to 1985.Established in 1976 by the Military regime of Olusegun Obasanjo after the failed Dimka coup--which claimed the life of former Head of State Murtala Mohammed, the NSO was...
(NSO) - State Security ServiceState Security ServiceState Security Service is the primary domestic intelligence agency of Nigeria. It is primarily responsible for the gathering of intelligence within the country and for the protection of senior government officials, particularly the President and state governors. It is one of three successor...
(SSS) - Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA)
Sources
- World Police Encyclopedia, ed. by Dilip K. Das & Michael Palmiotto published by Taylor & Francis. 2004,
- World Encyclopedia of Police Forces and Correctional Systems,second edition, Gale., 2006
- Sullivan, Larry E. Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2005.