Report of a mission to Nigeria

Abstract

The problems associated with police protection Social defense have to be considered within the framework of the socio-economic changes taking place in any particular society. In Nigeria, the past three decades have brought fundamental changes which have in turn defined the scopes and character of crime, and raised questions as to the adequacy of the response measures. The period before and immediately after the attainment of independence in 1960 witnessed little threat to internal security. Banning sporadic political and civil disturbances, the Police Force did not have to deal with large-scale and organized crime. In recent years, however, the Force is under increasing pressure to contain the activities of violent criminals.