COMMUNITY POLICING AND NIGERIAN SECURITY: AN OVERVIEW OF THE SOUTH-WEST GEO-POLITICAL ZONE

Abstract

Community policing as a public policy has been adopted by many countries of the world in the 21 century. The need for community policing arose from the need to prevent crime and maintain peace in a country. This paper examines the community policing as a security challenge, in the South-West region. The study adopted qualitative method using secondary sources of data like textbooks, newspapers, and online materials. The paper realised the need for community policing in Nigeria, based on the fact that there is continuous demand for restructuring of the federation in order to allow for more decentralisation. Through the provision for community policing, there is the decentralisation of the police force for more effectiveness. Moreover, the issue of manpower shortage currently experienced by the Nigeria police force necessitate the provision for community policing. There is also the issue of internal security challenges. There are however some threats to community policing like the issue of corruption and extra-judicial killing in Nigeria. The paper concluded that community policing has become an important means of enhancing peace and order in the country. It recommends enhanced salary for the community police officers and regular training for them.