January 2020
The Managing Conflict in Nigeria (MCN) Programme commissions an annual perception survey to track progress against the programme’s outcomes and impact in its three focal states: Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. The survey is conducted by an independent organisation. The first survey was conducted in 2017, the second in 2018, and the most recent in 2019.
Public perception of community policing groups improving
For many Nigerians, especially the poor, voluntary policing plays a pivotal role in addressing safety and security needs. 2019 was MCN’s first full year of engagement with the voluntary policing sector (VPS). The programme is supporting VPS groups to enhance their organisational capacity, improve their services to communities, operate in a manner that is both accountable and respectful of the law, and increase coordination with the police and other relevant groups in the community. Forty-two individual groups have now been supported with training and basic equipment.
Summary of findings:
- The proportion of people surveyed that are ‘very satisfied’ with the performance of the VPS has increased to 40% in 2019 (from a baseline of 26% in 2017)
- 53% of people surveyed were generally satisfied with the VPS
- Men were generally more satisfied with the VPS than women
The programme estimates that close to 700,000 citizens will have benefited from the improved performance of the VPS as illustrated by the survey results.
'53% of people surveyed were generally satisfied with the voluntary policing sector.' Annual perception survey 2019
