Review of the consequences of human rights abuse by the Nigerian police

Abstract

The primary function of the police is to enforce law and order in the society for the protection of human rights. It is unfortunate that  these people who are meant to be the watchdogs of the society have now turned into its most ruthless predators. There are ample  reported cases (and much more unreported) cases of police brutality and violations of human rights in Nigeria. This has resulted in the  masses losing trust in the police system as a government agency. The objective of this article is to review the consequences of human  rights abuse by the Nigerian police. The paper adopted a doctrinal research method through the use of primary source (such as statutes  and regulations) as well as secondary source (such as books, academic journals, newspaper publications, television documentaries,  Internet materials, etc.). The causes of human rights abuse by the Nigerian police include systemic corruption; inadequate welfare  package for police officers; lack of training and re-training; etc. In order to prevent the recurrent incidences of human rights abuse by the  Nigerian police the paper recommend for a police reform through subjecting prospective members of the Nigeria Police Force to  mental health evaluation, compulsory training on policing standards for police officers on a regular basis is also recommended; paycheck  of the police officers should be raised to be at par with current economic realities and there should be incentives to police  officers who are of the optimum professional behaviour at the end of a given period. These recommendations among others will  enhance in the optimal performance and professionalism of Nigerian police.