POLICE INFORMANT'S REWARD : IS IT ENFORCEABLE IN NIGERIA?

Once upon a time somewhere in Nigeria, three notorious criminals were on the loose after a gaolbreak that led to their escape. The police and other security operatives in the country embarked on a thorough search of every nook and cranny of the country but these criminals were no were to be found.In their bid to capture them at all costs, the police authority put a price of two million naira ( N200, 000, 000.00) on each of the criminals' head.There was a public announcement to this effect over the national and the local radios.

At that time, there was one eighty-year old peasant farmer in a very remote village in a corner of a small state in the country.In this village, there was no electricity and the village was not even within the coverage of the national radio and the state local radio transmission.

The old peasant travelled to a city one day on a visit to his son and his son's wife who had just put to bed.During the visit, the old man, for the first time, heard the news about the three criminals being at large and the reward for whoever gave useful information leading to their arrest. The old farmer, then, recalled that one day when he was working on his farm, five strange-looking young men approached him to enquire if he could fix three of them, who just came from a city, up with jobs on his farm.

The old man's son quickly arranged a meeting between his father and the police.The old man was interviewed and gave the police hints about the whereabouts of these five young men.Eventually, a special police squad invaded the old man's village and all the five men were arrested.After their arrest, three of the five men were identified as those three inmates on the run that the police had been looking for.

The police authority was very pleased with the old man and sent to him a special delegation to thank him on behalf of the entire police force.The delegation did its job as instructed and no mention was made of the much publicized reward during the visit.

Two weeks later, the old man wrote the police, through his counsel, demanding for the  payment of the total sum of six million naira (N 6,000,000.00) for giving the police information leading to the arrest of the three inmates.In their reply, the police, through their spokesperson, said the man was not entitled to the reward in law because it was not enforceable.

Any remedy in law for the poor farmer?

Visit this blog tomorrow for my legal perspective on the scenario.

Till then, stay blessed.

DISCLAIMER: THE ENTIRE PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE NOTE THAT THE SCENARIO IS A FICTION AND IT IS ONLY FOR EDUCATIVE PURPOSES AND IF IT, EITHER WHOLLY OR PARTLY, BEARS ANY SIMILARITY TO THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF ANY INDIVIDUAL AT ANY PLACE OR POINT IN TIME, IT IS HEREBY AFFIRMED THAT IT IS A MERE COINCIDENCE.