British Journal of Education, Society &

Behavioural Science
6(2): 145-153, 2015, Article no.BJESBS.2015.051
ISSN: 2278-0998

SCIENCEDOMAIN international
www.sciencedomain.org

Public Perception of the Police and Crime–

Prevention in Nigeria
Johnson Olusegun Ajayi1* and Olukayode Longe1
1
Department of Sociology, Faculty of the Social Sciences, Ekiti State University, Ado–Ekiti, Nigeria.

Authors’ contributions

This work was carried out in collaboration between authors JOA and OL. Author JOA designed the
study, wrote the protocol and supervised the work. Author OL carried out all field work and performed
the statistical analysis. Author OL managed the data analyses of the study. Author JOA wrote the first
draft of the manuscript. Both authors JOA and LO managed the literature searches, general
discussion and correction edited the manuscript. The two authors read and approved the final
manuscript.

Article Information

DOI:10.9734/BJESBS/2015/12763
Editor(s):
(1) Madine VanderPlaat, Department of Sociology and Criminology, Saint Mary's University, Canada.
(2) James P. Concannon, Associate Professor of Education, Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri, USA.
Reviewers:
(1) Anonymous, Cyprus.
(2) Anonymous, Brazil.
(3) Anonymous, Nigeria.
(4) Alfredo Rodríguez Sedano, Department of Education, University of Navarre, Pamplona, Spain.
Complete Peer review History: http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history.php?iid=819&id=21&aid=7509

th
Received 16 July 2014
Original Research Article Accepted 11th October 2014
th
Published 26 December 2014

ABSTRACT
The image of the Nigerian Police as a corrupt and inefficient institution with penchant for human
rights abuse has not yet been redressed. Thus, this study investigates the public perception of the
police and crime prevention within the Nigerian society. The participants in the study were 1350
members of 15 professional groups in strategic partnership with the Police, selected through the
use of both multi-stage and purposive sampling techniques. However, 1125 respondents fully
participated in the study. Questionnaire was the major instrument used for data collection. Data
were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The main hypothesis of the study was
tested and the result of finding showed that public support and cooperation will significantly
enhance police performance in crime management. Furthermore, findings revealed that the police
insensitivity to the plight of the people they were statutorily assigned to police has not allowed for
smooth relationship between them and the public at large. The police were unfriendly and always
in perpetual collision with the members of the public. The study also found that to a very large
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

*Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected];

 Ajayi and Longe; BJESBS, 6(2): 145-153, 2015; Article no.BJESBS.2015.051

extent, the police capacity in the discharge of their enormous responsibility of crime-prevention and
control was sub-optimal. This deficiency has continued to engender a feeling of deficit, blotting the
image of the police in the eyes of the public. The paper concludes that there is urgent need to re-
brand the police image in ensuring possible strong collaboration between them and the civil
society. This is necessary as a requirement to enhance the overall effectiveness of crime
prevention and control in the country.

Keywords: Public safety; general security; police image; social control; law and order; crime
prevention and control.

1. INTRODUCTION performing their duties satisfactorily and in

compliance with the rule of law at all time. These
The police institution is a generic human service deficiencies are in fact responsible for the
establishment saddled principally with the task of deepening crime rate in the country. [4] reiterated
safeguarding internal security and safety in that the Nigeria Police has a very serious image
almost civil societies. In Nigeria, the police are problem in the eyes of the public; it hopes to
officials of government and society, responsible protect and serve. Throughout Nigeria history,
for the prevention and control of crimes and the police had been a tool of the state, mistrusted
disorders as well as the detection, apprehension and feared by the people instead of being friend
and prosecution of perpetrators of crimes and to the general public. As such, the public at large
violence in the country [1]. As such, there is still see the police as an instrument of the ruling
probably no other security control organization class that are always ready to unleash terror at
that has an intimate dealing with the large the slightest opportunity.
segment of the Nigerian populace as the police.
Essentially therefore, law enforcement or social Presently, Nigeria is suffering from a growing
control is the generally agreed responsibility of crime-problem, which is progressively
the Nigeria police. They must be available in threatening its sovereignty, security and
case of need of almost any kind and demonstrate development [5]. Despite the constitutional
absolute commitment at all times to render the powers granted the police to maintain general
best possible service to the public. Conversely security, public safety and peace, the quality of
however, the reverse is arguably the case in security provided by them has nothing to be
Nigeria. proud of. Their roles in many cases denigrate the
law, endangering the citizens and blotting the
The police and police work present an alternate institutional reputation of the police that they
image to the generality of the people in the represent. Given the foregoing, this empirical
country. This is because the police in Nigeria study therefore aims to examine the public
have always been viewed and characterized as perception of the police and crime prevention in
brutal, corrupt and ineffective [2]. The ordinary Nigeria. From this broad objective, the study
man on the street greets them with fear and seeks to explore the following specific objectives
hatred, perceives them as inept and high-handed which are to:
and never sees them as allies or friends of the
people. The inappropriate policing styles and (i) Determine the perception of public and
repressive possibilities often exhibited by them in police relationship in crime prevention
the discharge of their great task of security (ii) Identify the types of assaults suffered by
management have also not helped the matter. the public from inappropriate policing
Thus, the prevailing belief is that the police is not styles and strategies and
likely to be effective in crime abatement, (iii) Assess the public perception of the
prevention and control or at least reduce the effectiveness of police performance in
incidence of crime in the community at large. On crime prevention and control
account of these, the Nigeria public is unwilling to
cooperate with the police. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW

Defending the police performance in the country 2.1 History of the Nigerian Police
[3] stated that a combination of structural,
political and socio-economic and cultural factors The history of the Nigeria Police Force has been
as well as institutional inadequacies prevented variously documented based on the need to fully
the Nigeria Police Force from adequately understand the context of policing in the present

146
 Ajayi and Longe; BJESBS, 6(2): 145-153, 2015; Article no.BJESBS.2015.051

day Nigeria, [6,7,8]. The first police force in the “contribute towards liberty, equality and fraternity
country was established in 1861; and between … help reconcile freedom with security and to
1861 and 1906, the British colonizers, through uphold the rule of law…facilitate human dignity
wars, treaties obtained by violence and foul though upholding and protecting human rights
means, subjected the estimated four hundred and pursuit of happiness…provide leadership
nationalities [9] that inhabited the territory of and participation in dispelling crimogenic social
Nigeria. Alemika pointed out that these conditions… contribute towards the creation and
nationalities were amalgamated at various levels reinforcement of trust in communities, strengthen
and times, which resulted into the creation of the the security of persons and property and the
colony and protectorates of Southern and feeling of security of persons, investigate, detect
Northern Nigeria, in 1900. These two and activate the prosecution of offences, within
protectorates were further amalgamated in 1914 the rule of law, curb public disorder, deal with
to become a political entity-the colonial Nigeria major and minor cases and to help and advice
state. According to Alemika, other police forces those in distress where necessary [13]”[.
were created between 1867 and 1914 to
maintain colonial definition of law and order In this context, [13] opined that Alderson’s
within the different nationalities subjected to advocacy served as one of the major reasons
British colonial rule. why critics of the Nigeria police have labeled the
establishment as over centralized, pro-state and
Two types of police system were maintained by belligerent not to serve the society or the people
the colonialist. These were forces and but to serve some parts of society and some
constabulary established and controlled by particular people at the expense of others. This
colonial officials and the local forces established view justifies the critics’ notion that the Nigerian
around local or native authorities controlled by Police are pro-government while the public see
local surrogates – indigenous traditional rulers. In them as unfriendly with penchant to unleash
between 1900 and 1905, [10] stated that the terror.
various police forces and constabulary created
by the colonialist were amalgamated into two 2.2 Police Public Image and Crime
major forces – Northern Nigeria Police Force and Prevention
Southern Nigeria Police Force. The two forces
co-existed with the local/native authority police According to [14] the Nigeria Police Force falls
forces between 1917 and 1930, especially in the short of optimum performance. Consequently, in
Northern and Western areas of the country. The the course of performing its statutory functions to
Northern and Southern police forces in 1930 the larger community, the Nigeria police have
were later brought together to be what we called often been indicted in several ways. This is
today the Nigeria Police Force. Also, the forces manifest in the widespread inefficiency,
co-existed with the local police forces, until 1966 corruption, unfairness in dealing with suspects,
when they were abolished due to their usage as occasional over-use of legitimate force, bad
tool for political oppression, extortion and temper, bullying and other abuses of citizen’s
annihilation. rights with impurity. Till date, despite the
constitutional powers granted the police to
At inception, the force was saddled with ‘normal maintain public tranquility, safety and general
police duties’ as well as ‘extra police’ functions security in Nigeria, the quality of crime prevention
[11]. The ‘normal police duties’ and para-military and control is nothing to write home about. Police
roles, which the colonial authorities assigned the officers are accused of brutality, abuse of human
Nigeria Police have remained largely unchanged rights, aiding and abetting of criminal activities
for the past seventy-three years [12]. All over the and engaging in bribery and corruption [15].
world, the baseline function of the police is the
maintenance of law and order. This central [16] Opined that the police institution in Nigeria
objective entails such duties as prevention, still have a long way to go in meeting its
control and combating of criminality; expectations especially in the areas of crime
maintenance of public order and peace; prevention and detection. The police are often
rendering assistance and services to members of not polite to victims of crime, because they are
the community who require them and upholding treated as mere sources of crime evidence and
the rule of law. In the same perspective, [13] not as human beings. Most violent conflicts had
viewed the idealistic vision of the police roles as occurred due to the ineptitude and inefficiency in
explained by John Alderson’s advocacy that the the performance of police statutory duties.
police should:

147
 Ajayi and Longe; BJESBS, 6(2): 145-153, 2015; Article no.BJESBS.2015.051

[16,15] Stressed that the capacity of Nigeria willingness to respond were the overriding
police in monitoring and managing the social factors used in selecting the respondents. A
space in the nation are disappointingly sub- sample of 1,350 respondents was finally selected
optimal and will continue to remain unless a new in the selected wards comprising both male and
relationship of honest and genuine female as participants.
interdependence is built between the government
and the governed and between the police as an Two major research instruments were employed
institution of government and civil society as (questionnaire and document) as data gathering
those from whom government derives its techniques. Out of the 1350 copies of
legitimacy. Thus, the thrust of the study is that, questionnaires self-administered by the
despite repositioning of the Nigeria Police Force researchers, 1125 were retrieved and found
to ensure safety and security of the people and usable for analysis with a response rate of
individual property, their level of efficiency seems 83.3%. The questionnaire was used to determine
to be at a pitiful level. The need therefore arises the perception of the participants on public police
to explore the public perception of the police and relationship and crime prevention. The
crime – prevention in Nigeria. questionnaire consisted of two sections A and B.
Section A dealt with the biographical details of
2.3 Research Hypothesis the respondents. Section B contained 25 items
on measures of perception of public/police
Based on the broad objective of the study and relationship and crime prevention. A set of Likert
comprehensive review of the literature, the main Scale was used to measure these pertinent
hypothesis generated and tested for the purpose constructs of the questionnaire. The survey
of the study is stated here-under: followed all the required ethical procedures on
the gathering of data with an information
Ho: Public support and cooperation are not likely covering page, describing the motivation for the
to enhance police performance in crime study as well as assuring respondents of the
management. confidentiality of their responses.
H1: Public support and cooperation are likely to
enhance police performance in crime- The primary data gathering method
management. (questionnaire) was however complemented with
secondary data sources from police crime diary
2.4 Methods and statistical records documents. The primary
data were analyzed using descriptive statistics
The study was carried out in the South West of such as frequency distribution and percentage
Nigeria, out of the six geo-political zones in the counts. Secondary data especially the Police
country. This choice was influenced by the crime diary extracts were reviewed and analyzed
strategic position which the zone occupied in using content analysis format. The main
Nigeria. Apart from being the economic and hypothesis of the study was subjected to non-
industrial nerve center and hub of social activities parametric chi-square statistical analysis.
over the years in the country, the six states
(Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti) are 3. RESULTS OF FINDINGS
contiguous to each other. The state capitals,
Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Osogbo, Akure and Findings on the socio-demographic
Ado – Ekiti were purposively selected as study characteristics of the respondents show that their
sites as a result of their relatively well established mean age is 36.5 with a standard deviation of
tradition of urban life and heterogeneity of the 11.3. This implies that majority of the
populace. The population of the study included respondents are middle-aged adults, who must
15 professional groups in the study areas. A have one time or the other probably have
multi – stage random-sampling technique was dealings with the police. The gender of
employed in selection of participants in the 180 participants reveals a disproportionate
political wards of the six (6) cities, which representation, where male accounted for 66.7%
constituted the study sites. Using simple random of the respondents and female respondents
sampling method, 90 political wards were finally constituted 33.3% of the respondents. This
selected from which fifteen (15) respondents presents a ratio of 2:1 across the gender group
each across the different professional groups skewed in favor of male. This finding is not
were also chosen using purposive sampling. In unconnected with the gender disparity in the
each of the selected wards, availability and labor employment structure of the country [17].

148
 Ajayi and Longe; BJESBS, 6(2): 145-153, 2015; Article no.BJESBS.2015.051

On marital status, more than seven (7) out of ten described the police as high-handed and trigger
respondents, that is (78.2%) were married while happy which often results into extra judicial
the remaining (21.8%) were either single, killings of defenseless citizens. Nine percent
separated from their spouses, divorced or (9.0%) believed the police as crime-collaborators
widowed. This finding is somehow significant, and law violators while 7.6% said there is
given the perception of the society on divorce constant mistrust between the police and the
and separation and the implication on basic public. Only a negligible (5.0%) of the sampled
responsibilities. A significant proportion 85.6% of population were of the view that the relationship
the respondents had at least first university between the two groups is cordial because of the
Degree or Higher National Diploma, while the belief that the police is the keeper of public
rest (14.4%) of the respondents possessed at peace.
least secondary education certificate. This finding
attested to the literacy level of the respondents. Table 1. Perception of public and police
relationship in crime management
The professional career group distribution of the
respondents show that 10% of the respondents How would you describe N = 1125
are academics followed by civil defense security the relationship between Frequency %
professional (8.4%), teachers (8.4%), nurses the public and police in
(8%), medical doctor (7.3%), while six crime management
Very cordial 79 7.0
professional groups had equal representations,
Cordial 135 12
social workers (6.0%), business / commercial Indifferent 0.0 0.0
people (6.0%), civil servants (6.0%), Antagonist 349 31.0
entertainment group (6.0%), and Engineer Very antagonistic 562 50.0
(6.0%). The rest professional groups, almost had Reasons adduced
equal representation; student (5.8%), police The police are corrupt 360 32.0
(5.3%) and driver (5.2%). Data on respondent’s The police are high-handed 180 16.0
religious affiliation depict that majority (63.3%) and trigger happy
were Christians, 33.9% were Muslims while the Police are generally 338 30.0
unfriendly
rest (2.8%) belong to other religion. A significant
Police are friendly and 56 5.0
finding is that Christianity and Islam still remain always ready to help
the two popular religions among the The public see the police as 101 9.0
respondents. Information on religious attribute is crime collaborator and law
also deemed important to this study because violators
religious values could influence opinion about the There is mutual mistrust 86 7.6
public perception of the police image and crime– between the public and
prevention in the country. police
Indifferent 4 0.4
Source: Field survey, 2014
Questions were asked seeking information on
the perception of the public-police relationship in
Exploring the types of assaults and repressive
crime management. Such questions include how
actions the public suffered from the police, data
you would describe the relationship between the
presented in Table 2 indicates that verbal
public and police. Respondents were also asked
vituperation and assault has the highest mean
to give reasons for their answers. Data presented
score value of 4.36 (sd=1.28) and killing having
in Table 1 indicates that an overwhelming
the least score value of 1.3 (sd=.865). From the
majority (81.0%) of the respondents saw the
analysis, slapping has mean score value of 4.25
public and police relationship as antagonistic in
(sd=1.30), kicking and beating 3.70 (sd=1.36),
both strong and mild terms, while (12%) of the
injuring 3.1 (sd=1.32), torturing 1.8 (sd=.732).
sampled population described the relationship as
The picture which emerges from these findings is
cordial. The remaining (7.0%) of the respondents
that verbal assault, slapping and kicking and
simply agreed it was cordial. Various reasons
beating are the most rampant assaults that
were adduced for this poor perception of the
suspects suffered from police brutality and
police image in the face of the public. While 32%
repressive actions. These types of assaults
of the respondents said police corruption would
constitute a sort of violence against the public,
not augur for smooth relationship between the
creating serious image problems for the police
police and public, 30% saw the police as
and inhibiting the police/public partnership and
generally unfriendly and always in perpetual
collision with members of the public, 16%

149
 Ajayi and Longe; BJESBS, 6(2): 145-153, 2015; Article no.BJESBS.2015.051

community relations in crime prevention and accepts the alternative hypothesis. Thus, public
control. support and cooperation will significantly
enhance police performance in crime-
Table 2. Mean and standard deviations of management.
types of assaults suffered by the public from
police inappropriate policing styles and Table 3. Public perception of the
strategies effectiveness of police performance in crime
prevention
Police assaults Min. Max. N Mean Sd
and repressive N = 1125
actions Public views about the Frequency %
witnessed by police performance in
respondents crime prevention
Verbal assault 1 5 1125 4.36 1.28 Very effective 34 3.0%
and vituperations Effective 68 6.0%
Slapping 1 5 1125 4.25 1.30 Ineffective 293 25.5%
Kicking and 1 5 1125 3.7 1.36 Very ineffective 730 65.5%
beating Source: Field survey, 2014
Injuring 1 5 1125 3.1 1.32
Torturing and 1 5 1125 1.8 .732 Table 4. Public community/police joint action
threat to kill for crime prevention
Killing 1 5 1125 1.3 .865
Source: Field survey, 2014 N = 1125
Do you think public Frequency %
On the public perception of the effectiveness of community and police can
police performance in crime-prevention, work together to prevent
questions were asked on the capacity and crime
effectiveness of the police to detect, prevent and Yes 218 19.4%
control crime. Data presented in Table 3 show No 873 77.6%
that a significant majority (65.5%) of the sampled Don’t know 34 3.0%
population affirmed that the police are very Source: field survey, 2014
ineffective in the provision of public safety while
(25.5%) of the respondents adjudged the police Table 5. Summary of table of chi-square
performance as ineffective. Only a negligible showing whether public support and
(9.0%) of the respondents adjudged their cooperation are likely to enhance police-
performance as very effective in crime- performance in crime-management
prevention. 2 2
N X critical X calculated Df P
Further elaboration on the public perception of value value
police performance in crime-prevention, as 1125 38.0 65.68 12 <.000
presented in Table 4, surprisingly showed that X2 = 65.68, Df=12 p(0.000) < 0.05
more than three quarters (77.6%) of the
respondents agreed to the incompatibility of the 4. DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
police and self-help civil defense group in
community policing to detect and prevent crime. Findings are discussed in relation to the public
This finding is an indication that a systematic perception of the police image and crime
partnership between the community and the prevention in the country. In the study, a
police has not been effectively worked in crime- significant majority described the perceived
prevention in the country. relationship between the public and police as
very antagonistic. This finding mirrored the view
Test of Hypothesis of [14] that the police image in Nigeria requires to
be rebranded and this can only be ensured when
police officers as individuals have a new
The main hypothesis for the study was subjected
orientation about the function of the police in the
to non-parametric chi-square statistical test
society. The police insensitivity to the plight of
analysis. Data presented in Table 5 shows that
2 2 the public community they are policing has not
X calculated value of 65.68 is greater than X
allowed for smooth relationship between them
critical value at 38.0 at 0.05 level of significance.
and the public at large. Study findings also
This result rejects the null hypothesis (Ho) and

150
 Ajayi and Longe; BJESBS, 6(2): 145-153, 2015; Article no.BJESBS.2015.051

revealed that the police are unfriendly and serious image problem in the eyes of the public it
always in perpetual collision with the members of hopes to protect and serve.
the public. Our analysis shows that, to a very
large extent, police cannot effectively discharge This observation accords with our finding on the
their enormous responsibility of crime prevention public perception of police performance in crime
and control without adequate cooperation and prevention which was adjudged to be very
good relationship with the public. The ineffective and also bears semblance, to the
confirmation of our hypothesis that public support postulation of [12] that Nigeria Police Force falls
and cooperation are likely to enhance police short of optimum performance. This deficiency
performance in crime management tends to has continued to engender feeling of
affirm this. helplessness among the generality of the public
citizenries that the police in the country have not
Empirical evidence from the study did confirm the developed an effective framework for crime-
police as generally unfriendly, brutal, high- detection, prevention and control.
handed, and usually in mutual mistrust with the
public. Thus, our findings, corroborate the 5. CONCLUSION AND
assertion of [18] and [11] that the police has not RECOMMENDATION
been useful nor helpful in promoting its image
before the general public as there are many The Nigeria police are granted enormous powers
cases of murder, assassination and robbery by law and the constitution to take preventive
which took place in the society that have lasted measures against the commission of all crimes
for two years or more without the police in Nigeria. In this sense, the law allows them to
identification of the culprits. This is further use such reasonable force as may be necessary
buttressed by the view of [16] that the capacity of for the prevention of crimes. In the exercise of
Nigeria Police in monitoring and managing the this authority, they have in various ways
social space in the nation are disappointingly malevolently violated the rights of members of
sub-optimal in crime management. the public with impunity. This practice has
earned the Nigeria police different derogatory
Another salient finding of the study is the police names, hatred and constant collision with the
modes of operation which are often detrimental members of the public to whom they sworn an
to the citizen whom they have been employed to oath to protect. So far, it can be inferred from the
protect. Study findings from our analysis data gathered in this study that the relationship
revealed that the types of assault, the public between the police and the public in Nigeria is
experienced from police brutality and repressive not cordial. The police are more accountable to
behavior ranged from verbal vituperations, the government rather than to the members of
slapping, kicking, injuring to torturing and threat the public whose interest they were statutorily
to kill. These acts constituted degrading established to protect. In Nigeria, the public
treatment prohibited by the constitution of perception of the police is warped based on the
Nigeria. misuse of powers vested in them. This misuse of
powers which creates negative police image and
The constitution provides that: police-public relations is manifested in police
corruption and brutality which had been their
“every individual is entitled to respect for regular hallmark.
dignity of his person and accordingly no
person shall be subjected to torture or From the foregoing, the findings of this study
inhuman or degrading treatment (chapter 4, have led to the following recommendations: The
section 34 of the constitution of the Federal public image of the police can be changed if and
Republic of Nigeria 1999 and section 31 of only if the police are reoriented towards
the 1979 constitution”. adequate care and respect for human dignity,
citizen’s fundamental human rights and
Thus, it must be emphasized that police acts of privileges. The police should work relentlessly
descending on suspects and citizens with horse towards redeeming their public image of
whips, gun and violently seizing or abducting underperforming, immodest brutality and use of
suspects or people arbitrarily is contrary to the predatory force and ineffective policing
law and offends section 34 (11) (a) of the 1999 strategies. Nigeria as a nation cannot hope to
constitution as being inhuman and abuse of become one of the best leading economies in
human rights. The implication of this is that the the world in year 2020, if it cannot develop and
Nigeria police will continue to have a very implement policies and programmes that will

151
 Ajayi and Longe; BJESBS, 6(2): 145-153, 2015; Article no.BJESBS.2015.051

abate both the causes and effects of crime and REFERENCES

general insecurity in the country. There is
already a big gap between public expectation 1. Alemika EEO. Colonialism, State and
and police actual performance in crime Policing in Nigeria: Crime, Law and Social
prevention and control. The public view shows Change. 1993;20:187–219.
nothing but a loss of confidence in police ability 2. Iwah A. Implementing community policing
to prevent crime in the country. in Nigeria. In: AbubakarM D. editor.
Nigeria Police, the journey so far, Pan
The government should be more prominent in African Institute of Para-Legal Studies
the formal crime prevention activities. The Abuja, Research and Publication
underfunding of the Nigeria Police has reduced Department, Nigeria; 2013.
their state of preparedness and level of 3. Alemika EEO. Strategic partnership for
performance to prevent crime. The acute crime prevention and control in Nigeria. In:
shortage of accommodation and welfare of the Abubakar MD editor in Nigeria Police
policemen made the coordination of their Force: Abuja, Nigeria, Pan – African,
activities difficult and these have adversely Institute of Para-Legal Studies, Research
affected their performance. The end-result is that and Publication Department; 2013.
the Nigeria Police Force is not adequately 4. Dalhatu S. Civil Society Education,
equipped for the statutory function of crime Participatory Policing and the Security
prevention. As a structured security institution, Challenges in Nigeria. In: Arase SC editor.
the police should be adequately equipped to National Security – Intelligence and
enable them be combat ready to prevent and Community Partnership Approach Abuja –
control crime. Pan – African Institute of Paralegal Studies
The preservation of the safety of the citizenries Research and Publication Department;
and security of their properties are the primary 2013.
reason for the existence of the police. There is 5. Alemika EEO. Rethinking crime prevention
thus, the utmost need for continuous and and crime control approaches in Nigeria.
impactful training especially in the areas of Journal of the Nigerian Sociological
security, intelligence and human relations for the Society. 2012;2(1):7-10.
policemen especially at the middle and lower 6. Rotimi K. Local Police in Western Nigeria:
echelon to be able to effectively discharge their End of an Era. In: Tamuno TN, BashiI
onerous responsibility of crime prevention. Also, LAlemika EEO and Akano AOeditors.
efforts are needed on the part of police Policing Nigeria: Past, Present and Future.
management to be more proactive in developing, Lagos: Malthouse Press Ltd; 1993.
just and moral consensus to partner with the 7. Onoge OF. Social Conflicts and Crime
community at large in order to build an efficient Control in Colonial Nigeria In: Tamuno TN,
and effective crime detection and prevention Bashir IL, Alemika EEO, Akano AO
system in the country and thus change the editors. Policing Nigeria, Past, Present and
negative image of the force in public mind. Future. Lagos: Malthouse Press Ltd; 1993.
8. Tamuno TN. Police in Modern Nigeria
However, as with all research studies, this study 1861 – 1965. Ibadan: University of Ibadan
is not without its limitation. Data were collected Press; 1970.
on perceptual scale from participants. Future 9. Alemika EEO. The Politics of Identities and
research should look at more objective data Democracy in Nigeria, Jos: University of
collecting techniques to ensure precision and Jos, Nigeria; 2003.
avoidance of bias. Despite this limitation, the 10. Otite O. Colonialism Pluralism and
study has not only offered a good insight into the Ethnicity in Nigeria. Ibadan: University of
understanding of public perception of the police Ibadan Press; 1990.
and crime prevention in Nigeria, it has also 11. Onyeozili EC. Obstacles to Effective
provided very much penetration into the issue of Policing in Nigeria. African Journal of
public/police partnership and crime reduction in Criminology and Justice Studies.
a reforming and developing nation like Nigeria. 2005;1(1):44-53.
12. Odekunle F. Overview of Policing in
COMPETING INTERESTS Nigeria: Problems and Suggestions. Ikeja-
Lagos. Cleen Foundations; 2004.
Authors have declared that no competing 13. Alemika EEO. Chukwuma I. Police
interests exist. community violence in Nigeria. Lagos,

152
 Ajayi and Longe; BJESBS, 6(2): 145-153, 2015; Article no.BJESBS.2015.051

Centre for Law Enforcement Education in promoting security and safety in Nigeria.
and Human Rights Commission; 2000. In: Alemika EEO, Chukwuma IC. editor.
14. Ogunwale A. Victims Propensity to Report Crime and policing in Nigeria: Challenges
Crime to the Police: A Case of Masaka in and option. Ikeja: Cleen Foundation; 2004.
Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa 17. Financial Institution Training Centre,
State. Journal of State and Societ. gender relations management in the
2004;2(1):73-78. workplace; The Nigerian experience.
15. Omisakin SI. Crime Trends and Prevention Lagos, Nigeria: FITC publication; 2001.
Strategies in Nigeria: A Study of Old Oyo 18. Benjamin S. Federalism, identity crisis
State. Ibadan: NISER Monograph Series 9; and Resurgent Nationalism in Fourth
1998. Republic. Paper presented to the
16. Odinkalu CA. When did police become Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria. NISER,
your friend? Changing roles of civil society Conference Ibadan; 2001.
_________________________________________________________________________________
© 2015 Ajayi and Longe.; This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any
medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Peer-review history:
The peer review history for this paper can be accessed here:
http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history.php?iid=819&id=21&aid=7509

153