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NIGERIA POLICE FORCE - A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE

NCJ Number
57323
Journal
International Journal of the Sociology of Law Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1979) Pages: 61-83
Author(s)
F ODEKUNLE
Date Published
1979
Length
23 pages
Annotation
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE (N.P.F.) ARE OUTLINED, POLICE PERFORMANCE OF EACH FUNCTION IS EVALUATED, AND CONDITIONS HAMPERING POLICE PERFORMANCE ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE ANALYSIS DRAWS ON INFORMATION FROM THE LITERATURE ON POLICING, OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS, PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF TWO STUDIES OF THE N.P.F., AND OTHER SOURCES. THE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS ARE CONSIDERED: CRIME PREVENTION AND DETECTION, INVESTIGATION OF CRIMES AND APPREHENSION OF OFFENDERS, MAINTENANCE OF ORDER, COMMUNITY SERVICE, ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS, AND PARAMILITARY DUTIES. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT, ALTHOUGH THE N.P.F. HAS CONSISTENTLY PERFORMED WELL IN CARRYING OUT ITS PARAMILITARY DUTIES AND ENFORCING REGULATIONS TO PROTECT THE ESTABLISHED GOVERNMENT (FIRST BRITISH, LATER NIGERIAN), THE FORCE FALLS FAR SHORT OF OPTIMUM STANDARDS IN GAINING THE CONFIDENCE AND COOPERATION OF CITIZENS AND PROTECTING THEM FROM CRIME. INADEQUACIES IN MATERIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES THAT ADVERSELY AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE N.P.F. ARE DISCUSSED, TOGETHER WITH HISTORICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS THAT LIMIT POLICE EFFECTIVENESS. THESE PROBLEMS INCLUDE BOTH THE N.P.F.'S HISTORY OF ACCOUNTABILITY TO THOSE IN POWER RATHER THAN TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THE CRIMINOGENIC FACTORS OF POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND LOPSIDED SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. TEN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE N.P.F. ARE PRESENTED, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE NEED FOR THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE SOCIOECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONTEXTS OF THE COUNTRY'S CRIME PROBLEM, RATHER THAN VIEWING CRIME AS STRICTLY A POLICE MATTER. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS PROVIDED. NO TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)