AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF IMAGE LAUNDERING PROGRAMMES OF NIGERIA POLICE FORCE ON NIGERIANS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The police force is regarded as the most visible governmental agency through which the character of a government and political system may be assessed. This is so because the police are the guardian or vanguard of the status quo. The role of the police in any human society cannot be over-emphasized. The police force is not only central to individual self-actualization, but also to social cohesion, economic development and democratic consolidation (Wabara, 2004). To a large extent, the actions and behaviours of the police reflect the political and economic character of society as well as what those in power are willing or able to tolerate or condone. Elemika (1999) seems to agree with the foregoing statement where he states that the goals, performance, problems and challenges of policing are determined by the social, economic and political structures of society. According to Elemika (1999), the police are subject to the dictates and interests of those who control the political and economic resources of society. Hence, the ability of the police to respond to popular demands of citizens as opposed to their subservience to the interests of political and economic power-holders is determined by the extent to which political and economic resources are equitably distributed and the citizens afforded opportunity for participation in the determination and implementation of public policies.
Before Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the number of enlightened and educated Nigerians was very minimal and the few privileged elementary school graduates had dreams that were much larger than being a policeman or women. Consequently, officers were recruited from among illiterate natives who saw themselves as white man’s tool for the oppression of their fellow citizens. Elemika (1999) further lends credence to the foregoing where he states that the history of the police forces in the country indicates that the various forces were established, organized and maintained by colonial and post-colonial governments primarily for order maintenance that engenders repression, a culture of impunity: corruption, incivility, brutality, lack of transparency and accountability. After Nigerian independence, concerted efforts were made by the first set of the country’s indigenous leadership to correct the perception of the police by the public. The efforts were however short-lived as frequent military regimes that started in 3966 only furthered the mentality of oppression.
Furthermore, the conduct of police officers in relationship with public over the years has simply reflected the rate at which corruption level grew in the entire country. The method of recruitment never helped matters. A young man who refused to go to school; troubled people in his community by stealing their yams and goats, as well as fighting and raping people, was simply referred to a highly ranking uncle in the force for recruitment. Bribery and corruption was a way of life in the police and based on public knowledge of these facts, people with integrity were reluctant to identify with police and unwilling to offer useful information to the force.
Then, came the slogan ‘Police is Your Friend’ as part of measures by the federal government to restore public confidence in Nigeria police and perhaps change the poor public perception of the force. However, pushing the vision in the slogan down the psyche of the rank and file was a very Herculean task. With time, the growing rate of unemployment in the country forced university graduates to start scrambling for the job of a police man or woman. Many did not join the police out of passion for security. They enlisted in the force just to guarantee their daily bread.
Another measure introduced to clean up the battered image of the Nigerian Police Force in recent years included the ‘Community policing’ initiative, This was introduced with the intent of making the public partner with the police in addressing security challenges against the backdrop of the fact that police are the people and the people are the police. Community policing is a police philosophy that involves problem solving with the assistance of the community. This is done through establishment of the proactive nature of policing, with the objective of encouraging a genuine partnership with members of the community and other stakeholders in security business to better the society. This has many forms like the neighbourhood watch, citizens’ crime watch and community policing. However, with insufficient funds to pursue the noble objectives behind this initiative, the programme seems not to have fared well.
