AN APPRAISAL OF THE COMMUNITY POLICING STRATEGIES USED IN COMBATING SARA-SUKA (THUGGERY) IN BAUCHI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA

This study aims to appraise the community policing strategies in combating Sara-Suka (thuggery) in Bauchi LGA, Bauchi State, Nigeria. The study examined how useful community policing is in combating political violence, such as thuggery. The objectives of the study were to examine the community policing strategies, their usefulness and the challenges they face in combating Sara-Suka (thuggery) in the study area. The study adopted multistage cluster sampling, purposive sampling, and availability sampling techniques to collect data. Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used to collect the primary data. The study involved 384 individuals aged 18 and above across five of the twelve electoral wards in Bauchi LGA. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution and percentage were used to analyse quantitative data using SPSS version 22, while content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. The Broken Windows Theory and the Routine Activity Theory were adopted as theoretical frames of reference. The study discovered that the police and other security agencies in Bauchi LGA are collaborating with members of various communities to combat Sara-Suka (thuggery). They have mitigated their threat by implementing strategies such as community partnerships and sharing critical information about Sara-Suka (thuggery) and neighbourhood watch programmes. However, corruption within and outside law enforcement undermines trust and credibility, making effective community policing challenging. The study recommends improving relationships with the public by law enforcement agencies to gain trust and information sharing, among others.