Yes to community policing

I will like to commend the acting Inspector General of Police for giving life to the dormant provision of the Police Act. section 50 (1)a, b and c of the Police Act CAP P14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 which States as follows : “Appointment of special constables in normal circumstances (1) Subject to […]

I will like to commend the acting Inspector General of Police for giving life to the dormant provision of the Police Act. section 50 (1)a, b and c of the Police Act CAP P14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 which States as follows :

“Appointment of special constables in normal circumstances (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the competent authority may appoint as a special constable any person (whether male or female) who- (a) has attained the age of21 years but has not attained the age of fifty years; and (b) is of good character and physically fit; and (c) has signified his willingness to serve as a special constable’’.

The activation of the above provisions becomes necessary in my view due to the fact that we are under-policed. In most parts of Nigeria, the moment you leave the Local Government Headquarters you hardly see the presence of police officers thus the rising cases of killings, kidnappings and other criminal activities in the hitherto peaceful rural areas. Furthermore the persons to be appointed as constables should be nominated by the community in consultation with the traditional institution which is the only authority that people see and believe in outside the Local Government Headquarters, with a view to increasing community policing. I make bold to say that doing so will give the people more security as the constables will be trained and armed. The development will deter armed bandits from attacking the rural areas and it will go a long way in boosting the police intelligence gathering mechanism.

It is my fervent hope that the IGP will hasten the activation of   section 50  (1)of the Police Act to save the lives of Nigerians, especially in the rural areas. I also urge the IGP to set out clear cut parameters for the recruitment so that only credible Nigerians are given the task.

 

Shamsudeen Abdulrahman Yammama can be reached at: [email protected]