26/04/2024
Reimagining Policing in Nigeria: Why Local Empowerment Is the Key to National Security
Listening to our leaders, one cannot help but notice the remnants of colonial thought patterns influencing our problem-solving strategies. Our inferiority complex, a lasting gift of colonialism, prompts us frequently to search abroad for solutions to our unique Nigerian challenges. This mindset is prevalent, where even our casual discussions about societal issues often involve comparisons to Western standards. If our strategies don’t mirror these foreign models or align with "global trends," our faith in them wanes. This paradigm must pivot if we are to foster sustainable and impactful change.
In the pages of my new book -New Africa, I’ve championed an unconventional yet deeply necessary shift in our approach to policing in Nigeria. Rather than succumbing to the allure of state police, we must undertake a profound transformation of the Federal Police, steering it towards community involvement and accountability.
A bottom-up approach shifts the narrative from a reliance on foreign ideas to harnessing our intrinsic local knowledge. In Nigeria, the chasm between federal policies and local community realities is vast, as if they exist in parallel universes. Rather than continually creating new institutions which often sprout from the failures of their predecessors, only to suffer the same fate - bloated from political interference and ineffective in practical terms - we should remake existing structures and make them resonate with the needs at the grassroots level.
Take, for instance, the ongoing debate around the implementation of state police, a move vigorously supported by President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a solution to the fundamental obligation of government: ensuring the safety of its citizens. However, I argue that state police might not be the solution we need.
This dialogue isn’t about choosing between federal or state police; such debates are best left as academic exercises for our future generations in schools. The crux of the matter is the complete overhaul of the federal police to make it community-centric. This means integrating local traditions, social norms, religious beliefs, and, importantly, our youth into the security framework. The federal umbrella should maintain unity and standards, while allowing for localized, adaptive operations supported by those it aims to protect.
The first, and perhaps most significant, advantage of this model is the fostering of trust. Federal or state institutions do not inherently build trust, but collaborative relationships do. While our neighbors in Ghana might readily report crimes through designated channels, Nigerians hesitate, a reluctance stemming from a deep-seated mistrust of authorities—a perennial issue that community involvement can address.
Additionally, the emphasis often placed on high-tech solutions for intelligence gathering overlooks the basic lack of infrastructure, especially in rural areas where it's most needed. Before modern institutions existed, our communities protected themselves using local knowledge and networks. This natural database of intelligence must be tapped into; our communities need to feel empowered and integrated into the framework to share information, knowing that it can make a real difference. Remember, we began to lack intelligence when security became a promise of the federal government instead of a responsibility that involved our communities and traditional institutions.
Moreover, this community-driven model not only customizes security based on diverse local needs but also stimulates job creation. Positions tailored to fit the specific security demands of each community not only bolster employment but also ensure that those employed are directly invested in their community’s safety.
Finally, the cost-effectiveness of this method cannot be understated. Community model minimizes capital expenditure and maximizes citizen and private sector involvement, leading to a naturally sustainable fiscal model. You are more likely to actively participate in any activity that guarantees your safety.
Before we continue the unnecessary and costly debate of federal versus state policing, let's redirect our focus internally. The solutions we seek already lie within our communities, waiting to be harnessed.
By fostering local empowerment and integrating it into a federal framework, Nigeria can achieve not just security, but a reinvigorated sense of community and national unity.
Chidi Jacob
Author, New Africa.
