The dialectic of police reform in Nigeria

Citation

Chambers, J. (2009), "The dialectic of police reform in Nigeria", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 32 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/pijpsm.2009.18132aae.001

The dialectic of police reform in Nigeria

Article Type: Perspectives on policing From: Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, Volume 32, Issue 1

A. Hills,Journal of Modern African Studies,Vol. 45,pp. 215-234

The dialectic of police reform in Nigeria focuses on the difference that police reforms can make in a developing country. This article focuses on developments that have occurred since 2005 and how these reforms make a difference.

The country of Nigeria shares many of the typical characteristics found in developing nations. The country has its share of political strife: the government officials (including the police) are under-resourced, inadequately trained and under paid. The Nigerian police have been regarded as one of the most corrupt institutions in a society that is known internationally for high levels of unpredictable violence, corruption, prebendalism, and ethnic and religious sectarianism.

A great deal of the reform knowledge that was implemented occurred from foreign countries making suggestions. Although police reform was the goal it took place in a highly corrupt government organization. The author examines whether police reform in a country like Nigeria can make a difference, when the police continue to be politicized and corrupt. The author argues that reform can make a difference, but the changes that result from it should be understood as forming part of a dialectical process.

Policing in Nigeria is extremely literal and not a theoretical concept. In Nigeria the strongest man is the individual who is able to set the standards for the rest. The police are known for their extra-judicial murders and impunity. By the year of 2005 the nation determined that these actions should no longer be tolerated. Many theorists believe that President Obasanjo was not receiving the amount of international support he desired and therefore set these reforms in place to make amends with others. This theory was evident in opinion polls carried out by the UK British Council’s Security.

The president appointed an Inspector General Ehindero to lead reform in Nigerian policing. Ehindero emphasized the importance of the Nigerian police creating measures to prevent the violation of human rights. Ehindero introduced a ten-point program of action that he felt could bring the Nigerian police into alignment with international standards. The program was designed to teach the Nigerian police to be responsive, effective and accountable in their job. The plan was for five years and in that time the goal was for police to develop effective crime prevention through intelligence led policing. There was a need to combat corruption, violent and economic crime and to develop trust partnerships in policing and conflict resolution. An improvement in the police image was a desired outcome of the reforms also. The inspector general’s plan focused a great deal on internally changing the police organization in order to improve the community. The downside to the inspector general’s plan was that police pay did not increase and the officers remained under paid.

A significant factor to the progress of reform in Nigerian policing was the president’s relationship with the inspector general. This relationship is important because inspector generals are appointed and controlled by the president. The president was responsive to the inspector generals plans for reform. The president’s relationships with the inspector general improved as his international support rose. As the Nigerian reform continued so did the advice and funding by international supports. Unfortunately in the end the police were unable to live up to the standards of Ehindero. The police were able to implement such ideas as community policing, however change from within the organization was met with opposition and the focus turned from improving the police to the community. In doing this corruption remained a prominent characteristic of the Nigerian police.

The author’s main focus was on Nigeria’s ability to withstand reform. Surveys that were completed on the Nigerian reform revealed positive consequences for the procedures put into place by the Inspector General. The most notable improvements were found in police behavior and performance. Some reduction, but not elimination as hoped, was found in the areas of human rights abuses and corruption. Although some reduction in human rights abuses was seen the reported incidence of police using excessive force rose from 13 to 21 percent. An increase was also seen in the reported incidents of unlawful arrests from 15 to 39 percent. These results suggest inconsistencies in policing patterns. Though there are mixed results the case reveals that even flawed forms of police reform can make some difference.

Hills (2008) suggests that the police are only as good as its surroundings. Countries that are consumed by corruption and other negative characteristics will see these traits in the police. The author suggests that a nation’s police are a reflection of the amount of democracy seen in the country. There are similarities to policing methods in Nigeria and those seen in previous years in the US. The politicizing of the Nigerian police is similar to what the US saw in the political era (Kelling and Moore, 1988); however the extent of police corruption appears to be far greater in Nigeria. Criminal justice theorists have often emphasized the resistance to change, which was also seen in Nigeria. The article reveals that reform in Nigeria is similar to that in other nations, it is often met with resistance, and it is a long-term process.

Joy ChambersUMKC School of Graduate Studies, Kansas City, Missouri, USA