State Policing and Security Management in Nigeria: Comparison of Jonathan and Buhari’s Administrations

The study examined state policing and security management in Nigeria: a comparison of Jonathan's and Buhari’s administrations. The paper was guided by five objectives and their corresponding research questions. Relevant literature on state policing and security management was reviewed. The paper was anchored on the theory of securitization, proposed by Ole Waever and the Copenhagen School of Security Studies in the 1990s, and an inductive qualitative approach was employed for the study. The secondary data collected were thoroughly subjected to content analyses. Findings suggest that effective state policing and security management in Nigeria are influenced by various factors such as political leadership, resource availability, socio-economic conditions, ethnic and religious diversity, insurgency, the centralization vs. decentralisation debate, and public trust in security agencies. The administrations of Jonathan and Buhari pursued different approaches, with mixed success. A holistic approach, police reforms, community engagement, and multi-faceted counter-terrorism strategies are crucial for addressing security challenges in Nigeria. Based on the identified findings, the study recommended, among other things, that Nigeria prioritise a comprehensive and inclusive approach to state policing and security management, focusing on holistic strategies, police reforms, community engagement, and multi-faceted counter-terrorism efforts to effectively address security challenges.