Osinbajo’s Order on Community Policing

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, last week, ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to commence the implementation of community policing. Osinbajo reportedly said this at a one-day National Economic Council (NEC) retreat on security in Abuja, shortly before the president returned from his medical vacation in London.

It is trite to say that Osinbajo’s order is clearly in sync with popular view, which has continued to advocate multi-level policing across the country as part of the initiatives to contain the growing multi-faceted security threats in the land.

Experiences of the past few years have shown that the security challenges currently confronting the country cannot be effectively and efficiently tackled by a centralised police force. However, making changes to the status quo would require undergoing a process, especially amendment of the constitution and the enabling law, which is the Police Act. It is expected therefore that the police would seek appropriate counsel and approach this presidential order procedurally, while government engages the National Assembly to ensure that the process of achieving community policing is set in motion. That said, the decision was well thought out.

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