The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) is a vital arm of the executive branch, entrusted with the critical responsibility of safeguarding the lives and properties of Nigerian citizens. Their mandate extends to enforcing the nation's laws and statutes, and curbing civil disorder. While primarily recognized as a law enforcement authority, their duties encompass a broader spectrum of functions.
This article delves into the organizational structure, salary scales, historical context, and ongoing reform efforts within the NPF.
Organizational Structure and Ranks
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) operates under a command structure to maintain order and control. It is divided into grades and steps, which serve as a distinction among officers in the same level. Officers are categorized into commissioned and non-commissioned ranks.
It is divided into two categories - commissioned and non-commissioned officers. The commissioned officers are the ones in senior ranks while the non-commissioned are the rank and file, the very junior officers. Some of the positions also further divided into two or more grade levels and steps. This grade levels and steps specify a position in a scale of ranks or qualities. It helps distinguish officers in the same rank.
Here's a detailed breakdown of the ranks within the Nigeria Police Force:
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- Inspector General of Police (IGP): He is the high-ranking police officer that would inspect, monitor and report any situation to the department. He is also the head of the police force in Nigeria.
- Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)
- Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG)
- Commissioner of Police (CP): A CP is in charge of contingents in a state.
- Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP): This rank is between the Assistant Commissioner and the Commissioner. The Deputy Commissioner takes over the command in the absent of the state commissioner.
- Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP): This is the sixth highest rank in the Nigeria police senior officers rank.
- Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP): This is the seventh rank in the police and the first of the intermediate officers. It is the second lowest senior officer rank.
- Superintendent of Police (SP)
- Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)
- Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP)
- Cadet Inspector: A cadet Inspector is the lowest rank held by a police officer after undergoing a training of service as a commissioned officer.
- Sergeant Major (SM): This is the twelfth rank and the first of the rank and file junior officers in the Nigeria police force (NPF). It is the highest rank of non commissioned officer.
- Inspector
- Sergeant: Sergeant is the middle rank of a non commissioned officer.
- Corporal
- Police Constable: A Police Constable is a newly employed police man. It is said to be the lowest rank in Nigeria Police.
- Police Recruit: A Police recruit is a person who is undergoing training to become a member of the police force.
All other officers in the NPF are referred to as non-commissioned officers, otherwise known as rank and file officers.
Nigeria Police Salary Structure
The salary structure within the Nigerian Police Force adheres to the Consolidated Naval Salary Structure (CONNESS), which was implemented in 2017. The Nigeria Police Force operating budget between 1984 and 1988 remained in the N360 million to N380 million range, and in 1988 increased to N521 million. More notable were large capital expenditure infusions of N206 million in 1986 and N260.3 million in 1988, representing 3.5 and 2.5 percent of total federal capital expenditures in those years.
Following the salary increase of 2010, the federal government under the leadership of Goodluck Jonathan extended the salary and allowance package to the military, paramilitary, police and intelligence community, who were not always covered by similar salary reviews in the past. The extension of the jumbo increase to other public servants as opposed to the core civil servants, shot the entire wage bill to N267. 4 billion in year 2010.
Salary per month: N43. Based on this salary structure below are the details of salary per rank or grade of Nigerian Police officers.
Federal government has disclosed that a new salary scale for the Nigeria Police would soon commence as National Incomes and Wages Commission has submitted the proposal for an upward review.
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Here's a simplified table illustrating the rank structure:
| Category | Ranks |
|---|---|
| Commissioned Officers (Senior Ranks) | Inspector General of Police (IGP), Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Commissioner of Police (CP), Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Superintendent of Police (SP), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Cadet Inspector |
| Non-Commissioned Officers (Rank and File) | Sergeant Major (SM), Inspector, Sergeant, Corporal, Police Constable, Police Recruit |
Days in the life of a female police officer | South African Youtuber
Historical Context and Evolution
The Nigeria Police Force is the principal law enforcement and the lead security agency in Nigeria. It was designated by the 1999 constitution as the national police of Nigeria, with exclusive jurisdiction throughout the country. As at 2021, it had a staff strength of about 371,800.
There are currently plans to increase the force to 650,000, adding 280,000 new recruits to the existing 370,000. In 1879, a 1,200-member armed paramilitary Hausa Constabulary was formed. In 1896 the Lagos Police was established. More so, the Niger Coast Constabulary, was formed in Calabar in 1894 under the newly proclaimed Niger Coast Protectorate. In the 1960s, under the First Republic, these forces were first regionalised and then nationalised.
By 1983, according to the federal budget, the strength of the NPF was almost 152,000, but other sources estimated it to be between 20,000 and 80,000. Presently, there are more than 1,300 police stations nationwide.
In late 1986, the NPF was reorganized nationwide into seven area commands, which superseded a command structure corresponding to each of the States of Nigeria. Each command was under a commissioner of police and was further divided into police provinces and divisions under local officers. NPF headquarters, which was also an area command, supervised and coordinated the other area commands. In mid-1989 another NPF reorganization was announced after the AFRC's acceptance of a report by Rear Admiral Murtala Nyako. In 1989 the Nigerian Police Force also created a Quick Intervention Force in each state, separate from the mobile police units, specifically to monitor political events and to quell unrest during the transition to civil rule.
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In February 1989, Ibrahim Babangida abolished the Police Service Commission and established the Nigeria Police Council in its stead, under direct presidential control. The new council was chaired by the president; the chief of General Staff, the minister of internal affairs, and the police inspector general were members.
Key Agencies Overseeing the NPF
Three major Governmental Agencies oversee the control and supervision of the Nigerian Police Force; the Police Service Commission, the Nigerian Police Council and the Ministry of Police Affairs.
- The Police Service Commission (PSC): Is the civilian oversight body on the police. It is responsible for appointment, promotion, and discipline of all police officers except the Inspector General of Police.
- The Nigerian Police Council: Is composed of the President, all state Governors, the Chairman of the PSC, and the Inspector General of Police.
Challenges and Reform Efforts
Although, the NPF is generally considered an attractive career, the NPF has experienced endemic problems with recruiting, training, inefficiency, and indiscipline, and it lacked expertise in specialized fields. Corruption and dishonesty were widespread, engendering a low level of public confidence, failure to report crimes, and tendencies to resort to self-help.
In mid-1980 the then federal police minister acknowledged that the police had recovered only 14 percent of the US$900 million worth of property reported stolen in the preceding six months, and that only 20 percent of the 103,000 persons arrested had been found guilty, a performance record about the same as that reported in the 1960s. Reports of police collusion with criminals were common, as were official appeals to police officers to change their attitude toward the public, to be fair and honest, and to avoid corrupt practices.
In an effort to reduce bribery and to make identification of offenders easier, police officers on beats and at checkpoints were not allowed to carry more than N5 on their person. The NPF is alleged to follow a policy of "Fire for Fire" in which many captured suspects die in police custody or are "shot while attempting to escape". Decades of police and official corruption and continued failure to train police officers properly has led to a situation where extrajudicial killing is an accepted form of dealing with people the police believe to be criminals.
The government is currently attempting to reform the police. They have produced a White Paper with 79 recommendations for improving the police force, which is due to be considered by the National Assembly and turned into a Police Reform Bill.
In September 2020, the Nigerian National Assembly passed the Police Reform Bill 2020, which was signed into law by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on 16 September 2020. The new law, known as the Nigeria Police Act of 2020, repeals the Police Act Cap. P19.
Training and Development
Police training is directed from headquarters by a deputy inspector general designated as commander. Recruits were trained at police colleges in Oji River, Maiduguri, Kaduna, and Ikeja, which also offered training to other security personnel, such as armed immigration officers.
In August 1989, Former head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida (RTD) laid down the foundation stone for a Nigerian Police Academy (NPA) in Kano State. The NPA was to be affiliated with Bayero University until adequate infrastructure was available for independent operation.
