Intelligence information and policing in nigeria: issues and way forward

Recent happenings in community based violent crimes have shown the ineffectiveness of the Nigeria police in security and intelligence-information gathering in nipping criminal and deviant activities in the bud. Contributively, capacity building and the failure of the state to qualitatively invest in modern policing strategies with regards to the socio-cultural characteristics of the nation have not helped matters. Similarly investment in police intelligence has not been taken seriously unlike the pre-colonial era. This paper examines the Nigerian police and policing strategies especially in relation to intelligence-information gathering since independence. The study is anchored on system theory with emphasis on the survival and efficiency of different subunits in the maintenance of the society. Major findings revealed that despite modern and community policing trainings, changes are still being described as combative and reactive rather than proactive. Also over the years investment in policing has dwindled and mainly responsive for the continuous breakdown in law and order in major cities. Therefore this paper suggests among others, that the concept of true federalism should be incorporated in the Nigeria policing structure in line with the American model of policing.

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Intelligence Information ,

Policing In Nigeria ,

Issues and Way Forward ,