Keywords
Federalization of the police, Decentralization of powers, Hinterland Securities, Federalism, Nigeria Police Force
Content Language
EN
Abstract
The structure of the Nigerian police has overtime depicted a centralized composition that negate principles of power sharing in a federal system of government. The complexities and diverse nature of policing in Nigeria remains the bane to effective and virile administration and management of the organization. The office of the Commissioner of Police vis-à-vis those of State Governors spell contradictions in power configuration from both the Constitution and the Police Act. The enactment of vigilante services and neighbourhood watches by state governments are indicative of a failing security system especially at the component units of the Nigerian federation. The hinterlands of Nigeria are poorly policed with strangers enforcing rules that grant citizens easy escape routes. This paper attempts a polemical explanation of the failure of strangers in federal police uniform to effectively secure lives and properties at the hinterland. The study is based on secondary sources of data and documentary approach of data analysis. The paper surmised that the present structure of the police negates federalism and creates serial squabbles between state governors and commissioners of Police. It recommends the federalization of the police in a manner that would effectively handle maintenance of law and order in the Nigerian hinterland.
Recommended Citation
Chiamogu, Amobi P. and Chiamogu, Uchechukwu P.
(2023)
"Decentralizing the Nigerian Police Force: A Plausible Approach to Hinterland Securities,"
Journal of African Conflicts and Peace Studies:
Vol. 5:
Iss.
2, .
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/jacaps/vol5/iss2/10
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