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EFFECTIVENESS OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

 One of the most prominent challenges that twenty-first century African states face is that of insecurity. Amongst the four arms of the state security system - the Army, Air Force, Navy and Police, the latter has been the most taunted. Customarily, the Police Force, as the closest of all the forces to civilians, is expected to be the protector of the citizenry and the defender of the security image of the country, as is the case in any genuine democratic nation. This, unfortunately, is not the case in Nigeria. Twenty-first century Africa has been regarded as the least developed continent of the world (Omitola and Jiboku, 2009: 49). This thought is not unconnected with the innumerable problems the continent is faced with, chiefly of which has been the challenge of insecurity. Law enforcement agencies are referred to as agencies set up by law to maintain internal security of the state in the promotion and sustainability of participatory democracy and the rule of law. These bodies or organizations play important roles in the execution of national laws made by the government in the pursuit of national interest and the protection of the national image of Nigeria (Maina, 2006). According to Nwanguma (2012), Security forces have failed to tackle crime and insecurity in Nigeria because they suffer neglect. They are poorly trained, under-motivated and ill-equipped to tackle crime and insecurity. Their remuneration and other benefits are not only inadequate but are hardly paid promptly. Police pensions are also stolen. The lives of officers and men are daily exposed to grave risks, and fatality rate among personnel is unacceptably high. Nwanguma (2012), believes that the government only uses the police as useful tools to repress critics and opposition in the Nigerian community. Ironically, they are regarded as the Friend of the Public. However, the one-time Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mr. Sunday Ehindero, in 2005 embarked on a genuine transformation of the Nigeria Police Force with the dream of a new policing characterized by different duties of the police towards the people (Maina, 2006). In projecting the security image of any nation, certain people have vital roles to play in terms of policy making. These people include the Police, the Politicians/leaders and of course, the people. If these roles are not properly carried out, then the safety of such nation would be in jeopardy. The role of the police in the pursuit of a safe environment that allows national development to thrive is what informs this study. Basically, the image of the Nigeria Police has been a questionable one. This is as a result of the recent and ever growing security threats in the country. This has led many Nigerians to doubt the ability of the Nigeria Police as it is perceived that the police is doing little or nothing to step into the situation (Mbachu and Eze 2009:1). Security has to do with freedom from danger or with threats to a nation’s ability to protect and develop itself, promote its cherished values and legitimate interests and enhance the well-being of its people. Thus, internal security could be seen as the freedom from or the absence of those tendencies which could undermine internal cohesion and the cooperate existence of the nation and its ability to maintain its vital institutions for the promotion of its core values and socio-political and economic objectives, as well as meet the legitimate aspirations of the people. Internal security also implies freedom from danger to life and prosperity (Imobighe cited in Oche 2001:76-77). The importance of law and order in the society cannot be exaggerated and the place of enforcement in the scheme of things remains paramount. This study would shed more light on the role and the importance of the Nigeria Police in ensuring the maintenance of national security. It will also examine the history, and the difficulties faced by the Nigeria Police Force in their pursuit of protecting the country’s security, and the ripple effect these challenges have on national development. States in Africa must rise up to the challenge of insecurity in the continent. For Nigeria, which unarguably is the most populous country in the continent, strict measures must be employed to checkmate insecurity. Most importantly, curbing insecurity involves improving the quality of life of the people, and economic well-being is a sine qua non to ensuring security. (Awolowo, 1968), argues that “when one fails to find solutions to our economic problems, one cannot succeed in solving political and social problems”

 1.2 Statement of the Problem

 Nigeria is the most populous African state, blessed with a threatening population of over 200 million people, with a wide geographical area spread across thirty-six (36). The country is also a part of the NEKS countries; an acronym for Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya and South Africa (countries that have been described by analysts as nations with huge untapped markets for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa) (Alkali, 2008). At independence and more than a few years after, the country enjoyed relative security in the West African sub-region because of its steady economic growth and leadership role in the Economic Community of African States (ECOWAS). However, the sudden discovery of 4 crude oil jeopardized the nation’s steady drive towards sustainable economic development, as the focus of federal government shifted from commercial agriculture to crude oil exploration and exploitation (Dode, 2011). According to Watts (2009, p.3-4) a total of $700 billion oil revenues had been accumulated by the Nigerian government since independence. Unfortunately, the massive oil revenues have added little to the living standard of the Nigerian citizens. He asserted that 85 per cent of oil revenues earned overtime is shared among the influential political elites, who constitute only one per cent of the population, with the likelihood that 40% or more of the national wealth accumulated overtime might have been stolen by the ruling elites, technocrats and public servants. The picture of mismanagement of the nation’s oil wealth as painted above, justifies the assertion that Nigeria is experiencing economic growth, but no sustainable economic development. While the ruling elites and their cronies were embezzling and sharing the nation’s oil wealth, the age long peace and security that the nation enjoyed started waning because of threats to national security orchestrated by militant groups with conflicting socioeconomic and political agenda. The militant groups whose antics and activities portend serious danger to national security in Nigeria include: Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Bakassi Boys, O’odua People’s Congress (OPC), Student Cults and Boko Haram sect (Rotimi, 2005; The Economist, 2008; Akhemonkhan et. al, 2012). Although generally considered an attractive profession, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has experienced endemic problems with recruiting, training, incompetence, and indiscipline, and lack of expertise in specialized fields. Fraud and treachery are widespread, stimulating a low level of public confidence, failure to report crimes, and tendencies to resort to self-help. The Nigerian society is getting more and more insecure, as many people get into serious crimes every day; both citizens and leaders in power. In Nigeria today, especially since the advent of the present democratic dispensation, new forms of violent crimes have sprang up as common activities. These activities include kidnapping, pipeline vandalizations, Boko Haram bombings, rape, political violence, etc. (Ukpere, 2012)