REDEEMING THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF NIGERIA POLICE FORCE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION 

1.1        Background of the study

1.2        Statement of problem

1.3        Objective of the study

1.4        Research Hypotheses

1.5        Significance of the study

1.6        Scope and limitation of the study

1.7       Definition of terms

1.8       Organization of the study

CHAPETR TWO

2.0   LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPETR THREE

3.0        Research methodology

3.1    sources of data collection

3.3        Population of the study

3.4        Sampling and sampling distribution

3.5        Validation of research instrument

3.6        Method of data analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1 Introductions

4.2 Data analysis

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Summary

5.3 Conclusion

5.4 Recommendation

Appendix

Abstract

Redeeming the public image of Nigeria Police Force is vital to police personal output and productivity. It has been observed that police personnel were not performing well. In view of the above, the researcher set out to see how to redeem the public image of Nigeria Police Force. Well structured questionnaire among other research instruments were designed and administered by using population to 200 respondents. The objective was to elicit answers that would reveal how to redeem the public image of Nigeria Police Force. The primary sources were complemented with secondary sources. As a matter of fact, the data collected were presented, analyze and interpreted in chapter four. The following findings were made; the Nigeria police force is performing their functions very well that the idea of collecting bribery in the police station is corruption. The Nigeria police force is truly friends of the masses. That the low remuneration received by the Nigeria Police Force is responsible for their low performance; That the government should provide what the Nigeria Police Force need in carrying out their duties

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

The word Police is derived from the Greek word ‘Polis’ meaning the part of non-ecclesiastical administration having to do with safety, health and order of state. The Greek politaria, meant the act of governing and regulating the welfare, security need and order of the city-state in the interest of the public. Nigeria Police began with a (30) thirty members consular guard formed in Lagos colonies in 1861. In 1879, a one thousand two hundred (1,200) members armed paramilitary Hausa constabulary was formed. Before describing this system in brief, it is relevant to observe that policing and police work did not start as a paid profession. It started as a noble, incorruptible profession with considerable responsibility and distinction. It was the justice of the peace system, which corrupted the Paris constable system. Policing is referred to as measure and practice of securing the safety of members of community as well as ensuring conformity to the NORMS and VALUES of society. The Nigeria Police function and was responsible for internal security generally for supporting the prison, immigration, and custom service and for performing military duties within or outside Nigeria as directed. The long neglect suffered by the Nigeria Police from both military and civilian governments has led them to seek other illegitimate means of meeting societal institutionalized goals. When opportunities are closed to reach the societal approved goals, actors may likely seek other alternative means no matter how illegitimate. This structural defect with the frustrating ignoble treatment by successive regimes has constantly led to smearing and denigration of the police in Nigeria. The Nigeria police have performed creditably well on missions outside the shores of Nigeria, but their performance at home has been unexciting and excruciatingly unethical, probably because of the unfriendly and unwholesome environment in which they work. This has invariably led to being seen as corrupt, inept and unproductive by the public. The apparent public normative hatred against the police is deeply rooted in colonialism. They were used mainly to contain or suppress the „natives‟ who were against colonial exploitation, hence the hostility between the public and the police has been endemic. The absence of harmony and the deep rooted mistrust between the two continued even till date. The public has never seen the police as friends but as enemies that should be avoided or destroyed as occasion warrants. In fact so many people learnt very early to hate the police and see them as enemy. Out of no fault of their own the police had suffered at both ends damned and condemned when charged with maintenance and enforcement of laws and regulations not favored by the public and damned if they do not. The police are abandoned by the government, hated and avoided by the public. The police institution is a generic human service establishment saddled principally with the task of safeguarding internal security and safety in almost civil societies. In Nigeria, the police are officials of government and society, responsible for the prevention and control of crimes and disorders as well as the detection, apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators of crimes and violence in the country. As such, there is probably no other security control organization that has an intimate dealing with the large segment of the Nigerian populace as the police. Essentially therefore, law enforcement or social control is the generally agreed responsibility of the Nigeria police. They must be available in case of need of almost any kind and demonstrate absolute commitment at all times to render the best possible service to the public. Conversely however, the reverse is arguably the case in Nigeria. The police and police work present an alternate image to the generality of the people in the country. This is because the police in Nigeria have always been viewed and characterized as brutal, corrupt and ineffective. The ordinary man on the street greets them with fear and hatred, perceives them as inept and high-handed and never sees them as allies or friends of the people. The inappropriate policing styles and repressive possibilities often exhibited by them in the discharge of their great task of security management have also not helped the matter. Thus, the prevailing belief is that the police is not likely to be effective in crime abatement, prevention and control or at least reduce the incidence of crime in the community at large. On account of these, the Nigeria public is unwilling to cooperate with the police. Defending the police performance in the country stated that a combination of structural, political and socio-economic and cultural factors as well as institutional inadequacies prevented the Nigeria Police Force from adequately performing their duties satisfactorily and in compliance with the rule of law at all time. These deficiencies are in fact responsible for the deepening crime rate in the country. reiterated that the Nigeria Police has a very serious image problem in the eyes of the public; it hopes to protect and serve. Throughout Nigeria history, the police had been a tool of the state, mistrusted and feared by the people instead of being friend to the general public. As such, the public at large still see the police as an instrument of the ruling class that are always ready to unleash terror at the slightest opportunity.

The Nigeria police indeed fallen short of these responsibility because of the obvious ethical vacuum and inability to overcome their genuine moral challenges.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The Nigeria police force has over the years acquired a very negative image which has been a major problem to combat with, as the only force that has the enormous task of enforcing obedience of the law, prevention and detection and prevention of crime and protection of the lives and properties of the people in the country. Overtime, the masses have come to distrust and disrespect the Nigeria police force due to some of its infamous activities; as a result, the public image of the NPF (Nigeria Police Force) has deteriorated into a negative one. However, it is imperative for the Nigeria police force to enhance its image because the negative perception in which the public holds the police often hampers some of its activities. This study therefore, intends to show how public relations can create a new public image for the Nigerian police force (NPF).

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This research project is set out for the following purpose;

To discuss the various principles of public relations

To analyze the public image of Nigeria police force

To know some media and method of use in public relations as related to the NPF

To discuss extensively about the challenges facing Police Area Command department in Kogi State

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The questions which this study attempt to answers are as follows:

What do you think are the reasons why police men collect bribes in the police station or road side?

Do you think the Nigeria police force are performing their functions effectively?

Why have police men not been following the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria? Is it because Nigeria is corrupt?

Is it the low salary received by the Nigeria Police force that is making them not to function in their duties?

Is the Nigeria police force truly your friend?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

To aid the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;

H₀: Nigerian police force has a positive image among Nigerians and the internal community

H₁: Nigerian police force has a negative image among Nigerians and the internal community

H₀²: the police force have been violating fundamental human right and the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria

H₂: the police force have not been violating fundamental human right and the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The research will highlight the masse’s perception of the police and the responsibilities of both the masses and the police to the society.

The research will be very useful to Nigeria police force as well as highlighting the problems facing the NPF

1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

The scope of the research project will be centred on the activities of the Nigeria police force in Kogi State, in relation to the Kogi State police command and the public and how the police command can redeem the image of the NPF. but in the cause of the study, there were some factors which limited the scope of the study;

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study.
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities        and examinations with the study.
3. c) FINANCE: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the        researcher has other academic bills to cover.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

 REDEEMING: This is the act of retrieving or collecting.

PUBLIC: This is the act of been connected to ordinary people in the society in general

IMAGE: It is seen as a person, an organization or a product

POLICE FORCE: An official body of people employed a state to prevent crime and keep public order.

BRIBERY: Dishonestly pay someone to act in one’s favour

CORRUPTION: Willing to act dishonestly in return for money.

COMMUNICATION: The act of interacting with people or the act of passing information.

1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research project is divided into five chapters.

Chapter one is the introduction of the work that is followed by the area covered; background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, significance of the study, research questions, scope/imitations of the study, definition of key concepts. Chapter two; is the literature review and includes public image of the Nigeria Police Force, duties of the Nigeria Police Force area command department in Kogi State, challenges of Police Area Command Department in Kogi State, public relations method employed by the Nigeria Police Force Kogi State Police Command, media and method of public relations and principles of public relations respectively. Chapter three is the research methodology and includes research design, area of study, population of the study, sample of the study, description of instrument, administration and retrieval of instruments, administration of research questionnaires and method of data analysis. Chapter four is the data presentation and analysis and includes data presentation, analysis of data, test of hypotheses and discussion of findings. Chapter five is summary, recommendations and conclusion.

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