Groups move to improve Community – Police relationship

By Jude Opara, Abuja

In an apparent move to end the mutual suspicion that has been existing between Nigerian communities and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR) in partnership with the International Alert has identified mutual misunderstanding of roles, poor or non-existent communication channels, and weak accountability mechanisms as the foundation of the frosty relationship.

In a statement on Sunday, Dr. Emeka Ononamadu, the Executive Director

CCIDESOR said it is worrisome that the relationship between the Nigeria Police and the communities they serve remains strained in many parts of the country due to deep-rooted mistrust, poor communication, and perceived lack of accountability.

Ononamadu added that it was in recognition of the expected benefits of the cordial and harmonious coexistence between the communities and the NPF that his organization and International Alert came together to put in place programmes aimed at reforming the operations of the NPF.

“Recognizing the critical role of trust in effective policing, the Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR), in partnership with International Alert, implemented a series of Mutual Accountability Forums and Trust Scorecard Assessments across communities in Abia, Enugu, and other states of the federation to identify the causes of mistrust and barriers to collaboration between the police and the communities.

“The findings reveal that mutual misunderstanding of roles, poor or non-existent communication channels, and weak accountability mechanisms are at the core of the problem. Many community members misinterpret police actions due to inadequate communication, while some police officers operate with limited community engagement, leading to suspicion and hostility.

“Other recurring concerns include:

Transactional or extortion-based policing, such as payments for bail or other basic services. Unprofessional conduct and use of torture during investigations, lack of recognition of traditional rulers’ roles in community security, rivalry and jurisdictional conflicts between the police, vigilantes, and other security outfits”.

However, the statement revealed that already there are some positive takeaways from the exercise so far observed.

“Within a short implementation period, significant positive changes have emerged where communication and mutual accountability were prioritized particularly in Abia communities:

The police have begun disciplining erring officers and addressing complaints transparently.

“Improved collaboration between police and traditional rulers has fostered community confidence. Communities now actively support policing efforts, including reporting crimes, identifying suspects, and sharing information”.

The group recommended constant training and retraining of operatives on human rights, community relations, and conflict-sensitive policing.

Also, the need to encourage synergy among the police, traditional rulers, and local security networks through policy directives was stressed.