By Imaabasi Offiongudo
With the recent commemoration of the International Day of World Peace, stakeholders have brainstormed on how to evolve effective policing strategies, which would build and sustain peace in Nigeria, especially in the context of the highly anticipated 2023 general elections.
During a recent Twitter chat organised by the Centre for Law Enforcement Education in Nigeria (CLEEN) Foundation, serving and retired police officers shared insights on how best to help the police deliver on its mandate of promoting peace.
In the course of the social media discussion serving and former law enforcement officials proffered ways to build peace and prevent the various violent upheavals affecting the country. Discussants at the twitter chat include; Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, a former Commissioner of Police, the current Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Austin Iwar, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police and Mrs. Chigozirim Okoro, Program Manager, CLEEN Foundation.
The discussion kicked off with the question: “In light of the critical role the police plays in restoring peace and order, how crucial is the role of the Nigerian Police in fostering national peace?” Mrs. Okoro, while noting that the primary purpose of governance is the protection of lives and properties as enshrined in section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 constitution, outlined the role of the Nigeria Police Force as the lead agency in internal security operations in Nigeria.
She however pointed out that the NPF is confronted with a myriad of problems which have necessitated the ongoing police reforms and the current presidential road map on policing reforms. She observed that the present reforms have yielded benefits such as the NPF 2020 Act establishment, approval of a new salary scale structure, amongst others.
On his part, Rtd AIG Iwar noted that it has been a slow but steady ride for the police force, especially against the background of long years of military.
The former AIG noted that that it was important for the reforms in the police force to be sustained because the police is the institution, which plays the critical role of keeping the peace of the nation. On his part, former Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mr Ojukwu expressed the view that the democratic mood of a nation is gauged by the tone of her police; he therefore called for a listening ear to the pleas for holistic and knowledge driven reforms within the force.
He explained that the police force is the most visible arm of government, which plays a key role in ensuring sustained peace and development, detecting and investigating crime, protecting persons and properties and maintain the public order and safety.
According to him, the police is the “cannon fodder of peace,” which should be given all the support to make the society peaceful. On some of the challenges, which constrained the police from effectively discharging their responsibilities, discussants on the twitter chat mentioned the issue of inadequate social incentives for police officers, poor quality of police equipment, dearth of quality training facilities due to poor funding and misappropriation of funds, and the challenge of the over-centralized police system in Nigeria.
CLEEN Foundation Program Manager, Mrs. Okoro emphasized that the nature of insecurity in Nigeria requires a decentralized police structure.
Moving on, the next question to the discussants focused on whether the current government restructuring within the force has been effective in promoting better service delivery, national peace and security.
To this, Mrs. Okoro was of the view that the upward review and 20 percent salary increment, in addition to the recently implemented Police Act, have influenced a renewed vigour for improvement in service delivery by the police officers.
Other participants on the chat pointed out that the police officers are now more courteous while interacting with the public and attributed it to the Police Acts & Reform born out of the End Sars Protest of 2020.
In terms of recommendations to help the Police better carry out its mandate, discussants on the twitter chat called for checks and balances through adequate scrutiny of the police budget disbursement and funding by the appropriate quarters.
The twitter chat participants also called for an accelerated reward system for deserving officers, increased partnership with local communities and appropriate disciplinary measures for officers involved in misconduct.
Discussants also called on the police authorities to develop better systems, processes, and the insulation of the police Force from political manipulation and control by the political class. Importantly, stakeholders called for the incorporation of technology and modern techniques into the work of the police force.
Speaking on how prepared the Nigeria Police Force is to maintain public peace and order ahead of the 2023 general elections, Rtd AIG Austin Iwar pointed out that every election has been a learning curve for the police and the police has napped out several strategies to ensure peaceful elections.
He noted that over time, there have been progressive improvement in the handling of elections by the police force in Nigeria.
