We are informed that when a service is carried out only when the employer is watching, such service is described as  “eye-service”. 

l don’t know  how  the word “eye- service” subtly found its way into the lexicon of  the Nigerian Civil Service  especially the security community. It is so pronounced in the security institutions that one would think that it is a compulsory subject in the curriculum of all the security agencies especially the Police, Army and the Directorate of State Service(DSS).

Simply explained, eye-service is when a man is performing a service or doing a job satisfactorily only when the employer is around or watching him or her.  It could also mean, when an employee is over acting on a specific instruction just to attract the attention of his or her employer.

The Holy Book went more deeper in Ephesians chap 6 verses (5-7):  “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men”. To further stretch the explanation, for example, a security agent is asked to go and search a house, he gets there and starts implementing aspects not specified in the directive just to attract the encomium from his master. Or when a police officer is directed to ensure that protesters conduct themselves peacefully and on their arrival at the venue, starts exhibiting acts that in itself, are breaching the peace. The recent operational clash between the Nigeria Police Force and Mrs. Obi Ezekwezili, a former   Minister of Education in the Obasanjo administration who incidentally is the leader of the “ BringBackOurGirls movement” is a pointer to the fact that little issues when not well managed, can snowball into a national disaster. Apart from the unnecessary display of impunity by the police, the Ezekwezili group should by now be counting their teeth with their tongue. It was disclosed that the newly posted Commissioner of Police for Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mr. Sadiq Abubakar Bello, had before the imbroglio addressed the group during which he reiterated the commitment of the police command to protect lives and property and enjoined the Bring Back Our Girls members to go about their lawful businesses. Unfortunately, minutes thereafter, the expected happened as members of the group trooped to their usual demonstration point but unfortunately the story changed. While one would specifically blame the police for overzealousness and grandstanding, not showing restrain, one should also ask the elite group if they are bereft of modern day methods of drawing the attention of government to their intention which obviously is well known by all and sundry including those piloting the affairs of the government. It seems that the group convenes only when there is news about the Chibok girls. In as much as one is joining its faith with other Nigerians to see to the release of the girls, it pertinent to ask if the Chibok girls were the only ones that were abducted by the Boko Haram set? After all, there are hundreds if not thousands of ladies and women not accounted for, so, who would shoulder the campaign to free those ones?

That not withstanding, the recent clash begs for an objective analysis and Nigerians believe that the Bringbackourgirls group are already over stretching their bounds and importance. It is either some of them have seen an opportunity to constantly be in the limelight, which they cannot achieve on their own, or that they just want to drag the government to international glare for bad publicity. Unfortunately, the police did not read the handwriting on the wall before drafting their men to disperse the group and eventually affecting the arrest of Mrs. Ezekwezili and two other members of the group. The police team that the commissioner dispatched were unnecessarily overzealous so was the commissioner who saw the outing as an opportunity to play the eye- service game for his boss and of course those monitoring him from the villa and Force headquarters. This is why commissioners should have there own heart and not be dragged by the nose at every inch where there is an operation like this on hand. Even if the commissioner received directive from the Inspector General of police to tear gas, arrest and bully them, it should be at his  (Commissioner’s) discretion to do what a trained police commissioner in the FCT should do. One is aware that as a new man on the seat, he would not want to flout any directive but to play the eye service game. This is why; the appointment of commissioners of police should not be based on any religious, ethnic nor friendship basis. A commissioner should know his onions.

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It is on record that many innocent Nigerians have died in the hands of overzealous eye-service security men who only pretend doing the assignment just to attract the attention of their superiors.  Eye service officers are dangerous men pleasers and can deceive. Such characters, when asked to take only a step, they overzealously take two steps.  A time was in the country when such security personnel coined the deceitful slogan” we are on top of the situation” when in the actual fact, they are just below the situation and cannot solve the situation on ground.  Eye-service security chiefs are dangerous because they often short- change the President with security information to the detriment of the country.

SECURITY TIPS

• Obeying traffic rules and regulations keeps you away from security confrontation.

•Don’t speed on a lonely road; someone could mistakenly attempt to cross unknowingly.

• Avoid answering phone calls while driving, many have crossed to the great beyond and can no longer answer phone calls. One click away from your upgraded Inbox