EFFECTIVENESS OF THE POLICE IN CURBING THE MENACE OF UNKNOWN GUNMEN IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The menace of unknown gunmen in Anambra State is a very serious problem that requires collective effort to curb. These gunmen have carried out several destructive activities in every location they have visited, sparing no one from their acts of violence. They are also believed to be responsible for sustaining the sit-at-home phenomenon in the south-eastern region of Nigeria. This paper investigated the effectiveness of the police in curbing the menace of unknown gunmen in Anambra State. The Broken Windows Theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. A mixed methods research design was adopted, employing both questionnaires and in-depth interviews (IDIs) as instruments for data collection. The questionnaire was administered to 378 respondents, while 8 participants were purposively selected for the in-depth interviews. The findings revealed that the strategies adopted by the police in combating the unknown gunmen were not effective. Collaboration between the police and other security agencies in addressing gun violence was also found to be poor. The study further identified the major challenges faced by the police, including inadequate funding, insufficient manpower, lack of modern equipment, and poor infrastructure to support effective policing. The paper recommended, among other measures, the building of trust between law enforcement and host communities to enhance intelligence gathering on potential threats. It also recommended the use of modern technologies such as surveillance cameras, drones, and data analytics to significantly improve the police’s capacity to monitor crime hotspots and respond swiftly to incidents involving gunmen.