Abstract

The Nigeria police force is an institution establish by law to protect lives and property of the nation and to protect the nation against any internal aggression and to protect the fundamental human right of all Nigerian irrespective of his or her political affiliation because the police was supposed to be apolitical. But the recent trend in Nigeria democratic setting has necessitate the need to re-access the objectivity of the Nigeria police force under the leadership of former inspector general of police Ibrahim Idris. It is no news that the service chief is only answerable to the commander in chief of the arm forces of the federal republic of Nigeria which is the president, in the person of his Excellency Rtd Gen. president Muhammadu Buhari GCFR who emerged president in 2015 general election under the platform of the all progressive congress (APC). The recent lopsidedness in policing in Nigeria has necessitate the need for the study; political policing and Nigeria democracy.

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

The genesis of policing and police work did not begin as a paid profession, rather, it began as a noble, incorruptible profession with considerable responsibility and distinction, (Newburn, 2004). However, the police as we know it today went through three distinct stages before it became profession. First, the populace, though small was responsible for maintaining law and order, then justice of the peace emerged on the scene to provide both the law and justice at the bar, and in the present era, paid professional police were established to maintain law and order (http://www.nigeriapolice.org/history). For Nigeria, policing was dated back to the colonial era. Policing in Nigeria has always reflected the society that created it. In this period, the primary purpose of the police was to advance the economic and political agenda of the colonialist. In many areas, the police engaged in the brutal subjugation of communities and the suppression of resistance to colonial rule. Thus, the use of violence and repression from the beginning of colonial era, marked a dislocation in the relationship between the police and local communities, which has characterized law enforcement practices in Nigeria ever since. In spite of this colonial enterprise on policing in Nigeria, the police are at the forefront of the criminal justice process and, for people, the only personal experience they have with that process is contact with a local police. In 2014 the All Progressives Congress (APC) party nominated Buhari to stand as its candidate in the 2015 presidential election. The APC was a merger of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN), ANPP and CPC. General Buhari subsequently emerged victorious in the 28 March 2015 presidential election, defeating incumbent President Jonathan of the PDP. He polled 15,416,221 votes to Mr. Jonathan’s 12,853,162 votes in an election that was keenly contested. On 29 May 2015, General Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in as the President of Nigeria. His swearing-in made history as Nigeria’s first peaceful and democratic transfer of power from a ruling party to an opposition. Having assumed office he once occupied as a military officer and for which he contested four times, his administration is expected to urgently tackle several challenges that have bedeviled Nigeria over the last three decades. And among the president campaign promises was a fight against corruption and respect for the rule of law. President Muhammadu Buhari then appointed Ibrahim Idris as the police boss in 2016 which ushered inn unwanted development in policing in Nigeria.

The Nigeria police went from bad to worst under the leadership of the Rtd police boss as the police became political and over-zealous in the arrest and discharge of their duty when a member of the opposition party is involved, incessant harassment of a political office holders and judges became the order of the day without following due process, yet our respected president said all this were done without his knowledge. It is against this backdrop that the researcher intend to investigate the effect of political policing and Nigeria democracy under President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The main objective of the investigate the nemesis of political policing and Nigeria democracy under president Muhammadu Buhari administration, but to aid the successful completion of the study, the researcher intends to achieve the following specific objectives;

1. To examine the effect of political policing on the image of Nigerian police force in international police (Interpol)
2. To examine the impact of political policing in consolidating Nigeria democracy

• To examine the relationship between political policing and breach of fundamental human right

1. To examine the role of the president in ensuring effective and apolitical leadership in the Nigeria police force

The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;

H0: there is no significant relationship between political policing and breach of fundamental human right

H1: there is a significant relationship between political policing and breach of fundamental human right

H0: the president does not play any role in ensuring effective and apolitical leadership in the Nigeria police force

H2: the president does play a role in ensuring effective and apolitical leadership in the Nigeria police force

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great importance to the Nigeria police service commission who are saddle with the responsibility of disciplining, promoting and rewarding the police officers for job well done as this study seek investigate the detriment of political policing on Nigeria democracy, the study will also be of great benefit to the executive arm of government as the study seek to examine the effect the executive using the police as an armory to clam down opposition as this is detrimental to our democratic development, the study will also be of great benefit to researchers who intend to embark on a study in a similar topic as the study will serve as a reference point to further studies. Finally, the study will be of importance to researchers, academia’s, lecturers, political pundit, students, teachers and the general public as the study will add to the pool of existing literature on the subject matter and also contribute to knowledge.

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers political policing and Nigeria democracy under President Muhammadu Buhari administration, but in the cause of the study, there are some factors that limited the scope of the study,

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study.
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities        and examinations with the study.
3. c) FINANCE: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the        researcher has other academic bills to cover.

1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Politics

Politics is the process of making decisions that apply to members of a group. It refers to achieving and exercising positions of governance—organized control over a human community, particularly a state

Democracy

Democracy, in modern usage, has three senses—all for a system of government where the citizens exercise power by voting

Police Force

A police force is a constituted body of persons empowered by a state to enforce the law, to protect people and property, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their powers include the power of arrest and the legitimized use of force

Policing

The regulation and control of a community, especially for the maintenance of public order, safety, health, morals, etc

 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study its based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.