The Police and Crime Management in Nigeria: Implications for National Development

Abstract

In Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, the police maintain good order for proper functioning of things. To do this, the police are guided by law especially; section 214 of the 1999 Constitution that recognised the police as the frontline agency to guarantee internal security. Section 4 of the 2004 Police Act and Regulations, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, described the police basic functions as prevention and detection of crime; protection of lives and properties; and  apprehension and prosecution of offenders among others. Besides, sections 2, 3, and 7 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1976 defined crime, categorised crime, and described parties to crime respectively. This paper examined the relationship between the police crime management and national development. Data were sourced from relevant textbooks, journals, newspapers, and magazines. Descriptive and analytical methods were used to analyse the data. Using the Principles of Law Enforcement as the theoretical framework, the police were recognised as the leading state agency that enforces law; controls crime, and manages internal security. The paper found positive relationship between police crime management and national development. It showed that the various crime management methods used by the police have not yielded impressive result due to governance crisis and other salient factors. The paper contended that except the Government tackles the status of poverty, stream of unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria, the chances of police efficiency in crime management is doubtful and the development of the country will be hard to achieve. 

Keywords: Police, Crime, Management, Security, and National Development