5 Reasons why Nigerian youths do not want to join the police

5 Reasons why Nigerian youths do not want to join the police

The recent announcement by the Police Service Commission (PSC) that it is set to recruit 10,000 personnel into the force is generating interest nationwide. 

Given the unemployment situation in the country at the moment, it is expected that many will jump at the opportunity to join the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The National Bureau of Statistics released a report this week that revealed over 22 million Nigerians are unemployed.

But despite the number of unemployed people in the society, many young men and women will no doubt refuse to join the NPF

5 Reasons why Nigerian youths do not want to join the police
The Inspector General of Police Solomon Arase and whoever succeeds him in June must fashion out ways to make the Nigeria police attractive to Nigerian youths

Legit.ng lists five reasons why many youths stay away from Nigeria police jobs.

Read below:

1. Battered public image: If there is any group of people that most members of the public detest in Nigeria, it is the police force. There is no trust between the police and the policed because of past incidents that have indicted members of the force for compromising their laid down rules and thereby attracting odium from the public. People who take up jobs in the police are generally seen as people who have no other choice or are frustrated with their unemployment status.

2. Corrupt system: Many who have high moral and ethical standard cannot survive in the NPF, that have been identified as one of Nigeria's most corrupt public institution. The financial malfeasance within the rank and file of the NPF is one of the major issues dragging the group back in all facets of its existence. Past details of how former police bosses in the country has dipped their hands in the public purse is still fresh in the mind of Nigerians. Not to talk of the constant harassment from personnel of the NPF on ordinary citizens for bribery.

3. Poor salary/welfare package: The salary and welfare package of the personnel of the NPF is better imagined than spoken of or written about. Members of the force are one of the poorly paid government workers in Nigeria. Their living conditions are also en eyesore as a visit to an average police barrack will reveal the low life standard that the men and women of the force are subjected to by the police authorities and successive governments

 4. No life insurance: The issue of poor salary and welfare package of the NPF also reflects in the non-existent insurance policy for members of the force. Daily, the media is awash with stories of our families of slain policemen and women who die in the course of duty are abandoned by the police authorities. There are also cases of policemen or women who sustain permanent injuries in the line of duty, but they are not given any financial or medical assistance by the powers that be within the force

5. The jinxed police uniform: Given the cultural and religious beliefs attached to many people's sentiment in our society, the police will struggle to attract people in this category who hold true to their beliefs and will not do anything to compromise it. Many have attributed the police numerous problems to the colour of its uniform - black, who many people associate with evil, darkness and every other thing that represents bad things. At some point, the leadership of the force mooted the idea to change the uniform of their men and women to a 'more friendly colour'. But it seems that dream has been flushed down the drain

Source: Legit.ng

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