Local policing and its implication for security in Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

Situating security closer to the people, demanding accountability of security operatives and their agencies, and promotion of community-based crime prevention are all nuances of local policing. Anambra State in the eastern region did not allow operatives of Eastern Security Networks and Ebube Agu except Anambra Vigilantes Services alongside formal law enforcement agencies. It was against this background that this study engage gap theory to investigate local policing and its implications on Anambra State, Nigeria. This study decomposed implications of local policing into policing accountability and community-based crime prevention in Anambra. This study engaged qualitative research design with reliance on secondary data, by reviewing publicly available archive documents concerning local policing, accountability of policing, community-based crime prevention and community policing. The literature was obtained through searches in publicly available material. Literature from non-serial publications, official reports, and conferences has been included particularly if they have been cited by other references in connection with local policing. Findings from the study showed that local policing as provided by Anambra Vigilante Service, devoid of the presence of Ebube Agu and Eastern Security Network shows accountability to the community. The study also established that local policing in Anambra has semblance of community-based crime prevention as the Vigilante and Formal security operatives collaborate in the line of duty. This study therefore recommends that the Federal Government should look beyond militarisation of South East and address genuine concerns raised by regional agitators as this will allow both formal and local policing to share common ground in accountability to host communities. This study also recommends that the total overhauling of the nation’s security architecture will go a long way to allow local policing to be heard in security provision which will fast track community-based crime prevention as against the overcentralised commands of all formal security agencies.