Police brutality: Rising cases continue to worsen public perception

“Seventy-Seven per cent of Nigerians say police brutality is a prevalent issue in Nigeria.” This statement is the summary of a poll result produced by renowned Abuja-based polling outfit, NOIPolls, which is a result of views of respondents and information from various sources that it believed are reliable.

The poll report released on February 25, throws up once again the trauma the average Nigerian goes through at the hands of some unscrupulous security agents who in the guise of carrying out their responsibilities abuse and violate people, whether they are innocent or guilty of any crime.

This report is coming at a time when Nigerians are still smarting from the death of a Remo Stars Football Club player, Tiyamu Kazeem, and the controversy surrounding the circumstances of his death, in addition to the alleged involvement of members of the police.  All the respondents that took part in the poll lamented the high prevalence of police brutality in the country and gave factors responsible for it.

The increase in the case of police brutality has led to intense pressure from the public to reform the Nigeria Police Force and as such the Nigerian Senate passed the Police Reform Bill in April 2019 for presidential assent. One of the outstanding features of the bill is that it provides internal disciplinary mechanism for any police officer that maltreats or kills an innocent citizen.

The NOIPolls  findings were from its past poll on police brutality which was conducted in the week commencing from May 6, 2019 and it assessed the opinions of Nigerians regarding police brutality, illegal activities and suggestions on ways to curb the menace. The findings revealed that a large proportion of Nigerians nationwide disclosed that police brutality on Nigerians is prevalent. Forty per cent of those interviewed confirmed that they have either been brutalized or they know someone who has been brutalised by Nigerian police personnel.

Further investigations revealed that a larger proportion of Nigerians; 34 per cent, cited poor police welfare as the major cause of police brutality of citizens. Other factors that respondents listed include inadequate training of the Nigerian police personnel which took 17 per cent; lack of contentment and greed, 11 per cent; lack of experience and the issue of corruption within the Nigeria Police Force amongst other mentions.

In total 77 per cent of the respondents stated that the issue of police brutality in Nigeria is prevalent while 23 per cent claimed it is not prevalent. Analysis by geopolitical zone showed that 87 percent of Nigerians residing in each of the south-south and South-West geopolitical Zones accounted for the larger proportion of those who asserted that the issue of police brutality is prevalent.

Respondents were further probed if they had or someone they knew has been recently brutalised in any way by Nigerian police personnel, and poll result revealed that 40 per cent of the respondents had either been or know someone who has been recently brutalised by Nigerian police personnel.

The continued rise in issues of police brutality, especially in relation to the activities of the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) in their search for internet fraudsters has continued to give rise to criticisms and condemnation, reinforcing the need for the deployment of a strict measure to curb the menace.

There is a call on government to do the right thing as the onus now lies on the executive to assent to the Police Reform Bill as a matter of urgency to ensure that this act is put to an end. The poll shows that police brutality on citizens in Nigeria is prevalent as four in 10 Nigerians specified that they have either been or know someone who has been brutalized by police personnel.

NOIPolls Limited therefore called for a far-reaching measure to curb the menace. “The increase in the case of Police brutality has led to intense pressure from the public to reform the Nigerian Police Force and as such the Nigerian Senate passed the Police Reform Bill for presidential assent. One of the notable features of the bill is that it provides internal disciplinary mechanism for any police officer that maltreats or kills an innocent citizen.

“Finally, while the passage of the Police Reform Bill is a laudable effort, it is worthy to note that the Nigerian police are privy to the fundamental human rights’ provisions under Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. Therefore, firearm against any citizen “except in selfdefence or defence of others against threat of death or severe injury or to prevent the escape of a person who has committed a serious or deadly crime while resisting their authority is unprofessional and barbaric,” it said.

As Nigerians continue to lament the manner in which the average Nigerian is treated on the streets and call on government to face the challenge head-on, many still remain pessimistic that any effort or policy will create the desired change if security agencies do not go through re-orientation.