Because the Nigeria Police Pressure (NPF) recounts its achievements for 2024, boasting of arresting over 30,000 suspects, recovering almost 2,000 firearms, and rescuing over 1,500 kidnapped victims, one is perhaps tempted to applaud these milestones. But, the broader context tells a far bleaker story in regards to the state of policing in Nigeria.
Inspector Common of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has acknowledged the laborious work and dedication displayed by cops all year long, significantly highlighting vital accomplishments in crime discount and group engagement.
He particularly famous the significance of collaborative efforts in fostering belief between the police and the general public.
Nevertheless, in keeping with the Nationwide Bureau of Statistics (NBS), between Might 2023 and April 2024, Nigerian households endured an estimated 51.9 million felony incidents. This staggering determine reveals a safety equipment struggling to fulfill its mandate, significantly in rural areas, the place 26.5 million incidents occurred, in comparison with 25.4 million in city centres.
The North-West recorded the very best variety of crime incidents on the family degree, with 14.4 million instances, adopted by the North-Central area with 8.8 million. The South-East reported the bottom variety of incidents, at 6.2 million.
The report indicated that 4.1 million households had been victims of burglaries, whereas homicide incidents accounted for 614,937 instances. Kidnapping has emerged as a prevalent crime, with 65% of affected households paying some type of ransom.
The full ransom paid throughout the interval was estimated at N2.23 trillion, with households paying a median of N2.67 million per incident. Different reported crimes included cellphone theft, livestock theft, crop theft, and sexual harassment, which had roughly 1.4 million victims.
Regardless of the prevalence of crime, the report highlighted a widespread reluctance to report incidents to the police. Amongst households that skilled robberies, solely 36.3% reported the crime. Victims of sexual crimes had been even much less more likely to interact legislation enforcement, with simply 22.7% reporting incidents.
Amnesty Worldwide stories that it receives nearly every day accounts of human rights violations by the police throughout Nigeria, together with illegal detention, extortion, torture, sexual violence, and in some instances, extrajudicial execution.
In October 2024, Nationwide Safety Adviser Nuhu Ribadu criticised policemen and troopers who steal arms and ammunition from their formations and promote them to felony parts. Throughout the destruction of arms by the Nationwide Centre for the Management of Small Arms and Mild Weapons, Ribadu described safety brokers concerned in such acts as “worse human beings,” emphasising the necessity for elevated oversight.
The proliferation of illicit small arms and light-weight weapons stays a serious menace to nationwide safety, exacerbating points similar to insurgency, banditry, and different violent crimes. Video clips of policemen extorting cash and committing human rights violations are actually commonplace on social media.
The Nationwide Human Rights Fee of Nigeria (NHRC) not too long ago expressed concern over the rising variety of human rights violation instances on the inauguration of its human rights dashboard and observatory, citing the police for example of state actors concerned in such violations.
Based on Statista, Nigeria ranks because the second most harmful nation in Africa in 2024, with against the law index rating of 66.7. It’s the eighth most terrorism-affected nation globally and the nineteenth least peaceable nation on this planet, in keeping with the International Peace Index. South Africa ranks as essentially the most harmful nation in Africa, with a rating of 74.8.
It’s instructive to notice that part 4 of the Police Act defines the position of the police as follows: “The police shall be employed for the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders, the preservation of legislation and order, the safety of life and property and the due enforcement of all legal guidelines and rules.”
Whereas the precise dimension of the Nigeria Police Pressure has fluctuated—from 213,709 officers in 2020 to 250,461 in 2021, and 250,227 in 2022—it at present stands at roughly 370,000 officers as of December 2024. The power plans to extend its dimension to 650,000 by including 280,000 new recruits.
Sadly, the working and residing situations of the power stay deplorable, with police barracks nationwide in inhuman situation.
Though most state governors are offering gear and automobiles to police of their states, extra complete help is required to make sure officers are well-cared-for and correctly outfitted to hold out their duties successfully.
In our view,the NPF should prioritise innovation in expertise and operational methods in 2025 and adapt to worldwide finest practices in preventing crime. Trendy policing depends on innovation, data-driven methods, and adherence to worldwide finest practices—parts sorely missing within the NPF’s present framework.
The federal authorities should additionally prioritise police reforms. A well-trained, adequately outfitted, and ethically grounded police power isn’t just a matter of nationwide pleasure; it’s a prerequisite for societal stability and financial development. Something much less could be a disservice to the Nigerian folks and a betrayal of the promise of security and justice for all.
