The native administration Police forces of Western Nigeria, 1905-1951

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Date
1984
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Volume Title
Publisher
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria
Abstract
Much has been written or native administration in colonial Nigeria. But so far, no work exists on an situation that was very vital to sustaining the system the police. This work bridges the gap by examining the origin, development and. role of Native Administration Police in Western Nigeria from 1905 to 1551. The study begins with an examination of the colonial exigencies which made the establishment and. maintenance of police forces by native administrations in Western Nigeria necessary and permissible. The first two forces were those of Abeokuta and Ibadan which emerged between 1905 and 1907. The process; of establishing more of the forces in other parts of Western Nigeria is further examined in chapter two Before 1939, the forces were poorly organized; recruitment into them was based more on patronage than on. merit; recruits were not exposed to any formal training; and the Native Authorities which controlled .the forces had little or no idea of running the police. Chapter three examines reforms that were undertaken after 1939 in the recruitment, training and control of the forces. These reforms were, however, limited because they were not allembracing and were not comprehensive. The role of the policemen is examined in chapter four. Throughout the period under consideration, the Native administration Police Forces were organized to maintain law and order, a role that was meant to serve the interests of the colonial masters and their local collaborators called Native Authorities, often at the expense of members of the public who were usually humiliated, abused and brutalized, The study is concluded with a summary and a survey of the organisation of the forces in the years after 1951.
Description
113p
Keywords
Administration, Native administration, Colonialism, Law agency, Recruitment, Police force, Western Nigeria
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