INTERROGATING THE DISCREPANCY IN THE DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN PERFORMACES OF THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, 1960-2019

Abstract

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has since 1960, through its foreign missions, demonstrated in the international arena to be a symbol of excellence. The high level professionalism of men and officers of the force, for example, has earned the nation accolades, especially within the purview of international policing. It is, however, astonishing that such reports of credibility and honour cannot domesticated at locally. Domestically, the police has demonstrated mediocrity, brutality and all forms of unprofessional acts. The NPF is viewed as repressive, and widely despised by the members of the public. This paper examines the contradictions existing between the domestic and international output(s) or performances of the NPF between 1960 and 2019. The paper seeks to understand the reasons for the different performance levels. The study therefore tries to fill a literature gap on the local and international services of the NPF. The paper relies heavily on oral sources. Interviews were conducted with a focus group of Nigerian policemen, who have had both local and international service experiences. Relevant secondary data were also used. The approach used in assessing the data is descriptive and comparative.