Security is an evolving proactive phenomenon but when it is static, its potency becomes ineffective, so l wrote many years back in 2017.
When the concept of Community policing programme was first introduced into the Nigeria Police operational strategic system in 2003 by the foresighted lnspector General of Police, Mr Tafa Balogun, many did not applaud his innovative move. Sponsoring five senior police officers including a female to the United Kingdom and the United State of America. Unfortunately, the project was comatosed after his exist from office and subsequent administration packed it up like a pack of unused cards.
This has been the bane of the Nigeria police, and our political institutions. Visions are killed for no justifiable reason. Some visions were killed out of sheer envy and jealousy. Many visions are deleted completely from record and memory for no justifiable reason.
Visionary leaders conceive positive ideas for the benefit of both the people and the institution. Today, the present lnspector General of Police, Muhammadu Adamu who in 2003 was still an Assistant Commissioner of Police when Mr Balogun was the lGP. Coincidentally, Crime was at its peak during Balogun’s administration as we presently experience . However, the track Adamu is taking with the reintroduction and reenactment of the Community Policing agenda, leaves much to be desired. By the way, what exactly is Community Policing. According to experts, “Community policing is the involving three key components: developing community partnerships, engaging in problem solving, and implementing community policing organizational features..”
Adamu believes that Community Policing must be monitised. He believes that people should be recruited, trained, given uniform and paid for their service to their community and government. It is baffling that Adamu repackaged Community Policing that had been in existence in Nigeria for seventeen years as if it is a new security strategy in Nigeria. This writer attended many community policing training programme in Abuja, kaduna and Owerri. It was those initially trained abroad, retraining members of the public. Many of whom are members of the Police Community Relations Commitee ( PCRC). The question is, what is operationally difference between Tafa Balogun’s Community Policing programs and Muhammadu Adamus community policing programs, that would warrant the Federal Government to approve and instantly release a whoophing sum of N13.3 billion (about $35 million) to fund the launch and recruiting of some 10,000 constables for the take-off of Community Policing . Even at that, the graph of kidnapping is on the increase without any feasible strategic solution on ground. Across the world, community policing is the patriotic spirit of the people at the community level, witnessing acts of criminality and ensuring a synergy between the communities and security agencies.
It was the disclosure in 2016 by Mr Femi Ojodu, a senior special adviser on political affairs to the Vice President, at Sir Mike Okiro’s book entitled “ Nigeria: the restructuring controversy”, that President Muhammad Buhari was planning to reintroduce community policing . Many had applauded the presidency proactive move on the viability of reintroducing the community policing. So, when on September 16, 2017 former lGP lbrahim Idris rolled out the drums to relaunch the programme by setting up a seven-man management committee that would work with his office and the police management team to monitor the programme Community Policing Re-engagement Strategic Guidelines and Unveiling of Community Policing Logo in Abuja. He carried on as if it was his idea, many were shocked.
The purported relaunched community policing by lGP ldris would have been commendable but when credit and honour were not ascribed to lGP Balogun ,the original initiator of community policing and he should be credited as such.
However, the recent relaunch ceremony by lGP Muhammad Adams is seen as a wasteful ceremony in this era of economic recession . One would have expected more innovative input rather than monitization of the programs.
This idea of targeting to commercialize community policing may after all not augur well for the country. Simply, Community policing is the community people seeing and observing security or criminal ills in their community where they reside and as patriotic citizens , offer to provide the information to security agencies.
They should not be tempted by offering them any monetary compensation for recruiting or training them. It is simply “ See something, say something”..
Although Adam claimed his repackaged community policing pilot phase of the programme was aimed at establishing a clear departure from traditional policing that was reactive and incident-based.
“It is on this premise that the Nigeria Police Force made the decision to review and develop a more inclusive strategic guidelines, “ adding that “the launch would create a better interactive relationship that would lead to improved support and cooperation from the various stakeholders, adding that the programme would build sustainable partnerships with local communities, authorities and security agencies, among others”.
Despite all the coloration, the country under Adam had not experienced peace. Internal security which stops on his table has been catastrophic and damnably shameful. The list and upsurge of criminalities around the country , especially the northern parts of the country clearly shows gross exhibition of incompetence from an officer whom much was expected. As the holy book would describe: “ He went the way of his predecessor who have no legacy attached to their tenure.
For instance, all the major criminal incidents like suicide bombing , terrorism or other heinous crimes that had occurred in London were foiled with the help of Community policing structure. Same cannot be the case in Nigeria, where cases of criminalities would occur without detection. If pass marks should be awarded to all the security agencies according to performance, no one would blink an eye before scoring the police low and the military, Customs and lmigrations services higher.
Though belated, the Community policing programme should have been the main cornerstone of Crime fighting and prevention in the country by President Buhari administration.
Unfortunately successive police administrations and governments only paid lip service to this great but borrowed idea. The world over, communities are fashioned and integrated into the policing system thereby making it very impossible for criminals to berth and carry out their nefarious activitie. Had other police administrations indegenised the Community police programme, the country would have been reaping the fruit of such progressive idea. A senior security personnel described Community policing as an ideology pointing that the re-launch should be extended to educational institutions and communities where this type of policing can be inculcated in all the students. No wonder, strangers are easily detected and reported to security agencies.
In such communities, there exist cordial relationship with security agencies unlike in Nigeria, where what is obtainable is hatred for the police .It has snowballed into a ridiculous situation . The simple phrase “police is your friend” is no longer attractive to Nigerians.
The police must first warm itself to the people by changing their behavioral way of carrying out their professional duties which to many is still questionable.
A time was, when the police was indeed the friend of the people, questions must be asked of how did the public relationship wither away?
Before the police can reassert itself , it should first rebrand the institution and relaunch the Community policing else, it would be like a new wine in an old bottle.