Policing for Sustainable Security and Democratic Governance: The Nigeria Police Experience
Keywords:
Police, Force, Rights, Freedom Prevention, Detection and ProtectionAbstract
The aim of this review is to examine the expected roles of the Nigeria Police Force in a democratic setting, its challenges and suggests some workable solutions to some of the perennial problems associated with policing in Nigeria. The Nigeria Police Force is indubitably a victim of its colonial provenance. Originally, it was formed by the colonial masters as part of a general constabulary force for the pacification of the restiveness of the newly created colony of Lagos. The force grew gradually to become a ferocious armed enforcer of the will of the colonizers over the people. The Police perform three main functions namely; prevention and detection, protective as well as arrest and detention. Consequently, the federal government of Nigeria should provide conducive work environment for functional policing to thrive before pointing accusing fingers at those bad officers.
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