An assessment of the relationship between private security companies and the police in crime prevention in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria
| Date | 01 March 2018 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1461355718756413 |
| Author | Eke Chijioke Chinwokwu |
| Published date | 01 March 2018 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
An assessment of the relationship
between private security companies
and the police in crime prevention
in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria
Eke Chijioke Chinwokwu
Department of Sociology, Federal University Lafia, Nigeria
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between private security companies (PSCs) and the police during crime prevention
in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. The study elicited data from 1500 randomly selected respondents to a self-administered
survey. Data were further collected through purposive in-depth inter views. Descriptive statistics was used for data
analysis. The results showed that operational collaboration and networking between PSCs and the police during
crime-prevention strategies in Lagos Metropolis were imperative for achieving a crime-free society. The study shows
that PSCs and the police are in a collaborative relationship that has had a positive impact on the reduction in crime;
however, synergy between PSCs and the police is weak. The study further found that areas in which PSCs and the police
collaborate include: escort duties, static guards, investigation, crowd control and patrol duties. The study also showed that
most of the respondents identified areas of future collaboration and improvement between PSCs and the police, including:
training, intelligence sharing, investigation and prosecution. The study findings show that both PSCs and the police see
their relationship as cordial and complementary, although sometimes unequal and competitive. The study highlights a need
to improve interagency collaboration and networking; strengthen collaboration between PSCs and the police; and pool
technical resources to fight crime in Lagos Metropolis in particular, and Nigeria in general.
Keywords
Private security companies, police, crime control, Lagos Metropolis
Submitted 13 Jul 2017, Revise received 02 Dec 2017, accepted 04 Dec 2017
Introduction
In African traditional settings, there existed well-
developed social crime control agencies which ensured
that law and order was maintained at different levels
within society. These agencies included: the age grade
system, ndinche (guardsmen) and masquerade cults in
Igbo land (Igbo, 2007; Ugwuoke, 2010). Other examples
are: Ogboni,Oro,Eso,Awopa,Osugbo and Egungun mas-
querade cults in Yoruba communities, including Lagos
Metropolis; and Ekpe,
Ϙ
konk
ϙ
,Ekpo,
Ϙ
bon and Akan cult
groups among the Efik, Ibibio and Arochukwu (Ogunba-
meru and Rotimi, 2006; Oyeniyi, 2007). These social
groups were all given pre-eminence in the maintenance
of law and order in traditional societies (Chukwuma,
2008). This is what Marenin (1985) terms ‘pre-colonial
forms of policing’ because they involved cult groups, tra-
ditional secret societies, and royal palace guards (cited in
Ikuteyijo and Rotimi, 2012: 123). Rotimi (2001) argues
that within the Yoruba tribe of the southwest geo-political
zone of Nigeria and the Hausa/Fulani of northern Nigeria,
the task of maintaining order, crime control and law
enforcement was within the jurisdiction of the royal
palace’s security guards.
Corresponding author:
Eke Chijioke Chinwokwu, Department of Sociology, Federal University
Lafia, Akun-Obi Road, Lafia, Nasarawa 111111, Nigeria.
Email: eke.chinwokwu@gmail.com
International Journalof
Police Science & Management
2018, Vol. 20(1) 80–93
ªThe Author(s) 2018
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DOI: 10.1177/1461355718756413
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