A History professor at Obafemi Awolowo University, Kemi Rotimi, has described community policing in Nigeria as a deceptive concept. He highlighted how discussions around it often gain momentum when donor agencies provide financial support for improving citizen safety.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Inside Sources, Rotimi explained that the Nigerian Police Force’s structure contradicts the essence of community policing. He criticized the rapid staff turnover and the lack of proper integration of community policing principles during personnel training, stating that the entire concept has been poorly implemented.
Rotimi also traced the roots of Nigeria’s policing issues to colonial times, where police officers were treated as subordinates. He blamed this legacy, compounded by underfunding and mismanagement, for the ineffectiveness of the police force. For policing to work, he stressed the need for better funding and the adoption of philosophies that genuinely support the community.