POLICE-PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE PROTECTION OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN NIGERIA: A SOCIOECONOMIC AND CULTURAL APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY

Abstract

This paper examines the crucial connection between police-public relations and the protection of vulnerable populations in Nigeria, highlighting a socioeconomic and cultural framework for developing sustainable social welfare policies. In a nation marked by persistent insecurity, poverty, and institutional mistrust and other critical and pervasive threats to human welfare, the role of the police extends beyond crime control; it encompasses the broader responsibility of safeguarding marginalized groups such as women, children, persons with disabilities, and the urban poor. However, pervasive issues such as reported police brutality, intimidation, perceived corruption, and discriminatory practices, which have cost the profession the approval, respect, and affection of the public, are a bugging issue. The public has accused the Nigerian police unit of committing acts of extortion, rape, torture, and murder. Even the scenario of police unbridled and total allegiance and loyalty to the constituted authority, like the government, has eroded public confidence and disproportionately exposed these populations to humiliation, violence, exploitation, and systemic neglect. In place of social services that should affect them. Drawing from sociological, economic, and cultural perspectives, this paper examines how poor police-community engagement perpetuates social exclusion and weakens the effectiveness of social welfare interventions. It argues that meaningful protection of vulnerable groups requires not only police reform but also the integration of culturally sensitive, community-based policing strategies aligned with local norms and economic realities. This discourse emphasizes the significance of inclusive governance, legal accountability, and public participation in transforming police institutions to align with democratic values and human rights. The theoretical framework for this discourse is Social Contract Theory, which uses secondary data. Employing a multidisciplinary approach and reviewing existing policy gaps, the paper advocates for a rights-based policing model that reinforces social welfare infrastructure and promotes social justice. This paper recommends that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) should adopt a more committed, fair, and citizen-centered approach to policing to rebuild public confidence, particularly in addressing pervasive challenges such as insecurity, poverty, and social inequality.