Police officers' perceptions of the Nigeria Police Force: Its effects on the social organization of policing

Abstract

Studies dealing with law enforcement and order maintenance in Nigeria primarily have been concerned with either the historical development of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) or the use to which the police force has been put by the federal military government. It is rare to find any systematic and extensive surveys of the opinions of the police officers, themselves, regarding how they perceive the NPF and the possible ways their perceptions can affect the social organization of policing in the country. That is, how their views of the police force affect the methods they use to enforce laws and maintain order on the streets. This study filled this void; it surveyed the opinions of 212 police officers concerning how they view the NPF, their job, and the public. Information received from them revealed that they see the NPF as an agent of the government not as a service group for the public. As a result, they said they are only answerable to the federal military government and its subunits. Based upon these findings, it is concluded that the problems of law enforcement and order maintenance in Nigeria are partly due to the way police officers perceive the NPF. This position is taken because their perceptions influence both how they view the public and the methods they use to enforce laws and maintain order on the streets.