POLICING THE LOWLAND AXIS OF THE PLATEAU PROVINCE IN THE COLONIAL PERIOD, 1926-1960 Changwak Emmanuel JONAH
Abstract
Contemporary Nigeria has been battling insecurity since the end of the civil war of 1967 to 1970. The need to reform and reposition the Nigeria Police Force remains topical and occupies the front burner in national discourse. Several committees have been set up and dozens of reports churned out on this subject. However, history has shown that these efforts have yet to deliver the desired results. The objective of this paper is not to plunge into the various debates for or against decentralization of the current police structure in Nigeria, but to demonstrate how effective the plural policing in colonial Nigeria using the Plateau Lowland Division experience to combat insecurity. Using both primary and secondary sources and statistical data of crimes gleaned from the Native Authority Courts, the paper demonstrates how the Native Authority Police was able to police crime in the defunct Lowland Division from 1926 to 1960.