Community Policing as a Strategy for Crime Reduction in Nigeria. (A Case Study of Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa State)

Reducing Crime Through Community Policing in Nigeria. (A Case Study of Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa State)

Authors

  • Fomnya Department of Criminology and Security Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5488-5420
  • Saidu Tunenso Umar Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Management Science, Adamawa State University, Mubi, Nigeria.
  • Amshi Police Force Veterinary Services, Department of Operations, The Nigeria Police Force, State Headquarters, Yola, Nigeria. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7097-3914

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56331/2.25.2024/1

Keywords:

Community policing, crime rate, crime reduction, Nigeria police, Yola North Local Government Area

Abstract

Community policing is a symbiotic and concerted effort of the police and members of the host communities with the sole aim of reducing the incidence of crime and criminal activities. Nigeria as a country embraced the concept of community-based policing to forestall crime and criminal activities since the return of democracy in 1999. This research critically scrutinizes the ideology and beliefs of community policing in the Nigerian context, with the aim of proffering solutions to the major setbacks of community policing in Nigeria. A non-probability sampling technique was employed during the studies. Self-constructed questionnaires were used to acquire data. Results revealed that the community members are in constant healthy relationship with the police but the police collaboration with the community members in terms of crime control/detection is not encouraging. The effort of the police authority in crime detection and control is commendable and the fear of crime has been declining since the initiation of community policing. Success was attributed to the constant collaboration of the police with other security agencies. The residents fully supported the concept of community policing but however, suggested that massive employment, funding security agencies, and organizing skill acquisition programs to engage the unemployed will greatly help in crime reduction in addition to the concept of community policing. The challenges faced by the security agencies include recruitment of unqualified personnel, insufficient crime-fighting equipment/patrol vehicles, inadequate remuneration of the security personnel, and lack of trust of information to the security agencies by the residents.

Author Biographies

Fomnya, Department of Criminology and Security Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria

Research scholar in the Department of Criminology and Security Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria, Yola Study Centre, Nigeria.

Senior Police Officer at the Department of Operations, The Nigeria Police Force, State Headquarters, Yola, Nigeria.

 

Saidu Tunenso Umar, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Management Science, Adamawa State University, Mubi, Nigeria.

Professor of Sociology, Criminology and Anthropology.

Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Management Science, Adamawa State University, Mubi, Nigeria.

Amshi, Police Force Veterinary Services, Department of Operations, The Nigeria Police Force, State Headquarters, Yola, Nigeria.

Chief Superintendent of Police and Officer in charge of Police Force Veterinary Services

Police Force Veterinary Services, Department of Operations, The Nigeria Police Force, State Headquarters, Yola, Nigeria.

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Published

2024-03-13

How to Cite

Joseph Fomnya, Hyellavala, Saidu Tunenso Umar, and Kazabu Ahmed Amshi. 2024. “Community Policing As a Strategy for Crime Reduction in Nigeria. (A Case Study of Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa State): Reducing Crime Through Community Policing in Nigeria. (A Case Study of Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa State)”. International Journal of Police Science 3 (1). https://doi.org/10.56331/2.25.2024/1.

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Section

Research Articles