A new study has found that corruption and misconduct by police officers have significantly eroded public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and discouraged citizens from sharing security intelligence with the authorities amid worsening insecurity across the country.
The research, published in IRE Journals and conducted by a journalist, James Adakole Ojo, surveyed 256 Nigerians to examine public trust and perceptions of the police and how such attitudes influence citizens’ willingness to provide security information to the force.
The study identified corruption and police misconduct as major factors undermining public confidence in the NPF.
According to the findings, 84.8% of respondents said corruption and misconduct reduce their confidence in the police, while 85.2% said they do not believe the force treats citizens fairly and without bias.
Similarly, 67.6% of respondents said police officers in their communities do not conduct themselves professionally when interacting with members of the public.
The research also revealed a broader crisis of trust in the police, with 62.9% of respondents saying they do not trust the NPF to protect lives and property in their communities.
Another 72.7% said they lacked confidence in the ability of the police to respond effectively to security threats.
The research revealed that the distrust was driven largely by citizens’ personal experiences with the police rather than information obtained from other people.
The study established that the crisis of confidence has a direct impact on intelligence gathering, which is considered critical to combating criminal activities and insecurity.
Although many of the respondents expressed willingness to cooperate with the police, the study noted that such cooperation was strongly influenced by their perception of the force.
For instance, 74.6% of those surveyed said they would report suspicious activities, while 84.4% said they would share useful security information to help prevent crime.
However, 52% said their willingness to share security intelligence depended on their level of trust in the police.
An overwhelming 88.7% also said they would be more willing to cooperate with the police if their trust in the force improved.
The research said the finding was consistent with the Institutional Trust Theory underpinning the study, which holds that citizens’ cooperation with and support for an institution largely depend on the level of trust they have in it.
The study further revealed that fear of retaliation, intimidation and victimisation remains a major obstacle to intelligence sharing.
According to the research, 68.4% of respondents said they do not feel safe sharing intelligence with the police because of concerns over intimidation or victimisation.
Only 35.2% said they trusted the police to handle information provided by citizens confidentially.
The research recommended that the NPF intensify efforts to identify and discipline erring officers while introducing regular training focused on professional conduct and public engagement.
The study also recommended interactive community engagement sessions through which police authorities can address recurring grievances and rebuild relationships with residents.
It called for concrete safeguards, including stronger confidentiality protections, to reassure citizens that information supplied to the police would not expose them to retaliation or victimisation.
According to Adakole, the study was necessary because of the critical role citizen-generated intelligence plays in addressing Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.
“At a critical time in the country’s history, Nigerians need the police to dismantle rising criminal networks that have made many of them feel largely unsafe on the road and in their homes,” he said.
“Without public goodwill, however, this will be a tall order for the Nigeria Police Force to achieve.
“The police must therefore dissipate more effort and resources to build trust and address negative perceptions of the force through professionalism and improved efficiency in the discharge of its constitutional duties.”
(SaharaReporters)
