Alternative Approach to Policing in Nigeria: Analyzing the Need to Redefine Community Policing in Tackling the Nation's Security Challenges

By 2004, Nigeria joined the league of countries operating community policing to address its gamut of security problems including ethno-religious conflicts, banditry, economic terrorism, among others, which had already attracted public acrimony and condemnation against the civilian government. Indeed, the practice of community policing in Nigeria is fraught with many contradictions, which have hitherto deepened the nation’s frustration in forging appropriate path to safeguard the security of lives and property in the face of growing security threats. The study examines the general philosophy of community policing and how it is operated in Nigeria with the aim of identifying various areas of deficiency in the implementation of the concept. In fulfilling the objectives of this study, we explore conceptual definition of community policing, dissect community policing as alternative security option, examine community policing practice in Nigeria and recommend ways through which it can meet the nation’s security needs.