Abstract
Nigeria is battling its worst level of insecurity since the civil war which ended in 1970. The need to reform and reposition the Nigeria Police Force has been topical in debates to improve security in the country. In fact, several high-powered committees have been set up and dozens of reports churned out on this subject. These efforts have been geared towards developing a formidable police force that will perform its constitutional duties of maintaining law and order and securing the lives and properties of all Nigerians. However, results have shown that the efforts of government have not delivered the desired results. The objective of this study therefore was to highlight the urgency in the need to establish a state police that will be capable of tackling the current challenge of gross insecurity in Nigeria. The study relied on secondary data in evaluating the feasibility of state policing in Nigeria. The analysis centred on variables like the reorientation of the force, insufficient budgetary allocation and judicious use of security vote, the practice of true federalism, the creation of employment opportunities and so on, in drawing its conclusions. Findings revealed that the current centralised system of administering the police force may not be tenable in adequately curbing the menace of insecurity in Nigeria. Recommendations proffered include the need to decentralize the police force forthwith. It is expected that the adoption and implementation of this among other suggested strategies will boost the operative capacity of the Nigerian Police Force to effectively carry out its designated roles and bring the mounting insecurity in the country under control. It is hoped that the results from this study will encourage Nigerian policy makers in formulating the right policies for national security. Besides, the results from this study will be useful to other researchers and students of public policy. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n1s1p412
Highlights
The rising insecurity in Nigeria in recent times has called to question the centralisation of policing in the country and advanced the need to decentralise the force, to ensure that states establish, maintain and control their police formations
To provide for an evidence-based policy in this regard, this study critically examines the suitability of a state police within the Nigerian federal structure
Eboh (2014) sees the federal government as abdicating her role as the ‘genitor’ of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF). He argues that the states (36 states) have being responsible for 70% of the NPF’s funding while the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) took care of 30%
Summary
The rising insecurity in Nigeria in recent times has called to question the centralisation of policing in the country and advanced the need to decentralise the force, to ensure that states establish, maintain and control their police formations. Apart from the expenditure on defence and internal security at the Federal level, the 36 states and 774 local government councils in Nigeria enjoy security votes, a fund that has come under severe scrutiny and criticism in recent times. National security is a big-time business, as bureaucrats and military officials are said to divert security votes and expenditure on defence to personal coffers Albert (2005) described the incidences of bombing and attendant threats to national security in Nigeria, as a political intrigue unleashed on the nation by the ruling elites to cover up corruption These justify the clamour for an effective and preventive state policing in Nigeria (Tunde-Awe, 2005). It seeks to proffer some workable solutions to the current security challenges in the country
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