Community Policing

By Ibrahim Aliyu Gurin

What is more terrifying than violence? It is the sound of someone calling for help, with no one responding. That cry, unanswered, is the quiet horror that haunts our communities.

Last week in Kano, a family was killed in broad daylight. Neighbours reportedly heard the screams but stayed indoors. Outrage spread on social media. How could people hear such suffering and do nothing? How could an entire community remain silent while lives were being taken right next door?

At first, the silence felt unforgivable. Then I remembered something my Media and Society lecturer, Binta Suleiman Gaya, once said: crime is rarely about criminals alone. It is often a mirror of the society that allows it. Suddenly, the tragedy began to make painful sense.

I thought of my own experience. We grew up in a different Nigeria. Then, whenever discipline crossed into anger in our house, our neighbour was always the first to intervene. Once her name was mentioned,  “Hajja Mamma Yidam! Yidam!” (Rescue me), she would rush out immediately, pleading on our behalf. Sometimes we would deliberately call her name, knowing she would come to our rescue. That was how our society functioned. Not because everyone was perfect, but because everyone was involved.

We grew up in Nigeria, where even if a neighbour was beating a child, people would rush out to ask questions. Elders would intervene. Women would shout across fences. Youths would gather instinctively. No cry was ignored. No pain was considered private. That society shaped our humanity.

Today, a person can scream until their voice disappears into death, and doors remain locked. People now live only metres apart, yet are emotionally separated by fear. In Media and Society,  this condition is described as “alienation”, which is the gradual breakdown of social connection and communal responsibility.

Modern media culture has accelerated this separation. Through phones, television and social platforms, we are exposed to violence such as daily killings, kidnappings, and accidents, which are endlessly replayed. Human suffering now competes for attention in timelines and headlines.

Over time, this constant exposure creates “desensitisation”. What once shocked us now barely interrupts our scrolling. Tragedy becomes routine. Death becomes familiar. Media and Society argues that when violence becomes normalised in the media, society unconsciously absorbs that normalisation.

Alongside this is the rise of individualism. Survival has become personal. Safety has become private. The collective spirit that once defined African communities has been replaced with the logic of “mind your business.”  So when danger appears, people retreat indoors, but not always out of wickedness, but because society has trained them to think first of self, not community.

The course also explains the bystander effect, a psychological phenomenon in which individuals fail to act in emergencies because responsibility feels shared. Everyone assumes someone else will intervene. In moments like the Kano tragedy, everyone heard, and everyone waited.

Fear worsens this silence. Media reports of mob justice, wrongful arrests and police brutality have created deep public distrust. Many citizens now fear becoming suspects more than becoming helpers. The result is a society paralysed.

Media and Society helped me understand that insecurity is not only about criminals and weapons. It is also about broken trust, weakened communal values and a media environment that has reshaped human behaviour.

Our old society relied on communal vigilance. When danger came, the community itself became the first responder. Today, citizens wait for institutions that often arrive too late. The killers in Kano did not act alone. They were aided by fear and protected by our silence. 

The government must rebuild trust between citizens and security agencies. Community policing must be strengthened. Media institutions must go beyond reporting bloodshed and begin promoting empathy, social responsibility and communal vigilance. Religious and traditional leaders must revive the values that once made indifference shameful.

Beyond policies lies humanity. Every life lost affects us all. Speak up, protect your neighbours, and restore the community we once had.

We pray for the souls of those who lost their lives in Kano. May their families find strength, and may we as a society learn to act before it is too late. Let their cries not be in vain.

Ibrahim Aliyu Gurin wrote via ibrahimaliyu5023@yahoo.com.

By Garba Sidi 

Hadejia, one of the 27 local government areas in Jigawa State, Nigeria, is renowned for its vibrant population and bustling business activities. With an estimated population of over 200,000 people, Hadejia stands as the largest local government in the state in terms of both population and economic activity.

However, recent events have cast a dark shadow over this once-thriving community. Between March 8 and March 13, 2025, five lives were tragically lost in a series of violent incidents, including the death of a newlywed bride. These incidents have raised serious concerns about the safety and security of the people of Hadejia.

Peace, safety, and security are fundamental pillars of any thriving society. Without these elements, communities cannot prosper, and individuals cannot lead fulfilling lives. The recent surge in violent crime in Hadejia, fueled by the availability of drugs, toxic chemicals, and the proliferation of weapons among youths, threatens the very fabric of this community. It is imperative to urgently address these issues to restore peace and ensure the safety of all residents.

The incidents that occurred between March 8 and March 13, 2025, illustrate a grim picture of the current state of affairs in Hadejia. On March 8, a political argument between two young men escalated into a physical altercation. One individual used a pair of scissors to stab his opponent in the stomach, resulting in his death. This tragic event highlights the dangerous consequences of unchecked aggression and how easily conflicts can turn fatal.

On March 9th, two youths engaged in a playful yet dangerous game involving sticks. What started as a harmless activity quickly escalated when one of the youths was struck in the head, resulting in his death. This incident highlights the need for greater supervision and guidance for young people, who may not fully comprehend the potential consequences of their actions.

On March 10th, another fight broke out between two friends in a different neighborhood. The altercation ended with one friend killing the other, further emphasizing the volatile nature of interpersonal relationships in the community. The following day, on March 11th, a mechanic was brutally attacked in his home in the NTA quarters. The assailant used a large knife to fatally wound the mechanic, leaving the community in shock.

The most heart-wrenching incident occurred on March 13th, when a newly married woman, barely five months into her marriage, was found dead in her home with her throat slit. This heinous act has left the community in mourning and raised questions about the safety of women and the prevalence of domestic violence.

The rising rate of violent crime in Hadejia can be attributed to several factors. One of the primary issues is the lack of economic opportunities and the inability of many families to provide for their children. In a community where large families are common, parents often struggle to meet their children’s basic needs. This lack of resources can lead to frustration and desperation among young people, who may resort to crime as a means of survival.

Another significant factor is the widespread availability of drugs, marijuana, and other harmful chemicals. These substances are easily accessible to teenagers and young adults, who often use them as an escape from their harsh realities. However, using these substances can lead to impaired judgment, increased aggression, and a greater propensity for violence. The combination of drugs and readily available weapons, like knives and scissors, results in a dangerous environment where conflicts can quickly escalate into deadly confrontations.

To address the rising tide of violence in Hadejia, it is essential to implement a multi-faceted approach that tackles the root causes of the problem. One potential solution is for the government to create additional administrative divisions within the town. By decentralizing governance and bringing it closer to the people, the government can improve the delivery of essential services, enhance security, and foster a stronger sense of community responsibility.

Furthermore, parents and community leaders must adopt a more active role in overseeing their children’s activities. This involves closely monitoring their associations, ensuring they are not engaging in criminal activities, and providing the guidance and support necessary for making positive life choices. Family planning is equally important; parents should be encouraged to have only as many children as they can adequately support, both financially and emotionally.

Finally, the recent surge of violent crimes in Hadejia serves as a stark reminder of the significance of peace, safety, and security in any society. Without these fundamental elements, communities cannot flourish, and individuals cannot lead fulfilling lives. 

It is the responsibility of the government, community leaders, and parents to collaborate in addressing the root causes of violence and fostering a safer, more prosperous future for the people of Hadejia. By implementing proactive measures, such as establishing additional administrative divisions, encouraging family planning, and cracking down on the availability of drugs and weapons, we can begin to restore peace and security to this once-thriving community.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Community Policing is a strategy that focuses on developing relationships with community members. It is a highly personal philosophy of full-service policing in which an officer patrols the same area for some time and develops a partnership with citizens to identify and solve problems.

Community Policing came to Nigeria in 2004. The main aim of launching the pilot scheme was to bring the police closer to members of the public and, by extension, get prompt information that the earlier concept of this initiative resulted in the formation of vigilante groups in communities and cities across the country, ostensibly to combat rising crime waves in the face of the police’s inability to deal effectively with armed robbery and other violent crimes.

Examples of such operations include Civilian JTF in Borno State, Amotekun in Lagos State, Zemda Initiated by Zazzau Emirate, and police constabulary in some of the majority parts of the Nigerian police headquarters and divisions across the nation.

The question here is, in whose interest is Community Policing? People have different views on the question above, and their answers vary based on their perceptions. Some see it as in the government’s interest, some in the community’s interest, and some in the interest of both parties (government/community).

Firstly, the side of the community will have a more favourable view of their local police department in the sense that they will be able to check the activities of the police department with the help of the newly emerging community police. It is believed that the Nigerian police force often releases or cooperates with criminals. 

Secondly, on the government side, it will help collect more accurate information from residents regarding criminal activity in the community. Many public safety agencies use technology to engage their residents better and boost their community Policing initiatives. 

Implementing community policing will change the policing structure and management. The partnership that develops over time can help the police discover the underlying causes of crime within the neighbourhood. By involving the community, the police have more resources to assist in crime prevention. Officers who familiarise themselves with community members are more likely to obtain valuable information about criminals and their activities.

Some of the benefits of community Policing in Nigeria include: 

First and foremost, community Policing provides an expanded Outlook on crime control and prevention. Working together, the community and the police would proffer solutions to incessant crimes and insecurity. 

Similarly, community Policing improves the quality of life of everyone in a community and helps police work more efficiently and effectively in curbing the outbreak of crime in a community.

Since the implementation of community Policing in 2004, has this policy had any implications (positive or negative)? Given the nation’s current situation, we can say that the policy has achieved nothing because the level of crime is constantly increasing and penetrating all the nooks and crannies of the nation.

Community policing can only be developed in Nigeria if the government and politicians stop using it to achieve their goals. Members must undergo physical and excellent selection before joining vigilante groups, and the community must support the people who sacrifice themselves for it.