The Nigeria Police and Public Safety: Towards an Alternative Security Framework

Abstract

The foundation of any meaningful socio-economic national development rest on stable internal security which is the primary responsibility of the police. The security situation of the country is currently characterised by prevalence of armed robbery, assassinations, political thuggery and frequent ethnic conflicts and dominance of ethnic militias. Due to the general climate of insecurity in the country, members of the public are unable to pursue their legitimate duties with confidence and assurance of their safety. In Nigeria, the responsibility of ensuring the safety of the public rests squarely on the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and to a lesser extent on other security agencies. The performance of this task by the NPF has been hampered by a combination of factors which have all combined to heighten the state of insecurity and public safety in the country. This state of affair had necessitated the need for proactive measures to address the situation. But this can only be on the basis of informed knowledge. Accordingly, this study sets to assess the role of the Nigeria Police Force in the achievement of public safety in the country all with a wider frame work of four specific objectives. The data for the study was gathered through the use of a questionnaire designed by the researcher. Data were analysed both quantitative and qualitative. Findings from the study show that the public has a very positive perception of what public safety is all about. The findings further indicate that in spite of the relative effectiveness of police performance, there is still a need for the force to re-appraise its approach to safety due to some constraints that were discovered in the study. Specifically, the study further indicates that poverty and low morale among members of the Nigeria Police Force constitute constraints to maintenance of law and order and public safety. Arising from these findings, the study concluded that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) will have to embark on the idea of community policing and public safety within the context of the Nigerian traditional value systems.