INFORMAL POLICING ORGANIZATIONS AND THE CHALLENGES OF CRIME CONTROL IN NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA
Omaku Bala Egwa
Volume 11 Issue 1
Abstract
The prevention and control of crime in Nasarawa State has remained elusive in spite of the effort of security agencies. Crime of all sorts exists in the State. Losses of lives and property that cannot be easily quantified have occurred in several communities. In all these, the formal security agencies have been helpless. These necessitate the formation of Informal Policing Organizations (IPOs) by community members in order to complement the efforts of formal police (FP) in crime control. In spite of the existence IPOs, the rate of crime is on the increase in Nasarawa State. This study was carried out with the main objective of determining challenges facing informal policing organizations with respect to crime prevention and control in Nasarawa State. Data were drawn from 501 respondents from the three (3) Senatorial Districts in the State using questionnaire and key informant interview. Data generated from questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while hypotheses were tested using chi-square and Multiple Linear Regression. Data generated from KII were analyzed using manual content analysis and used to compliment the findings from quantitative data. The study found that lack of financial support from community members as well as government to informal policing organizations. Informal police group members were found to be political thugs. The study therefore recommends that, financial support to IPGs in the State to buy operational tools, politicians should stop using members of informal policing groups as thugs and legal recognition of informal policing groups for an enhanced policing in Nasarawa State. Key words: Informal policing, Challenges, Operation, Crime Control
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