AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY POLICING IN COMBATING SARA-SUKA (POLITICAL THUGGERY) IN BAUCHI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of community policing in combating Sara-Suka (political thuggery) in Bauchi LGA, Bauchi State, Nigeria. The study involved 384 individuals aged 18 and above across five of the twelve electoral wards in Bauchi LGA, using multistage cluster sampling, purposive sampling, and availability sampling techniques. Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used to collect the primary data. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution and percentage were used to analyse quantitative data, while content analysis was used for the analysis of qualitative data. The study looked at the community policing programme’s strategies, its effectiveness in combating Sara-Suka (political thuggery) in the study area, and its challenges. Payback from community policing is frequently portrayed as having significant anti-crime benefits. It was therefore discovered that police and other security agencies in Bauchi are collaborating with members of various communities to combat Sara-Suka (political thuggery). They have mitigated their threat by implementing strategies such as community partnerships, sharing critical information about political thuggery, and neighbourhood watch programmes. However, corruption within and outside law enforcement undermines trust and credibility, making effective community policing challenging. The study recommends improving relationships with the public by law enforcement agencies to gain trust and information, among other things, without which community policing would die.