EXPLORING OBSTACLES TO EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION OF PRIVATE SECURITY FIRMS IN CRIME PREVENTION IN NIGERIA

This study examined the factors that hinder the effective participation of private security companies in crime control in Nigeria. The specific objectives are to identify the basic duties performed by private security companies in crime control, determine their effectiveness in performing these duties in crime control, identify the factors that affect their performance and effectiveness, find out the extent to which these factors affect their performance and effectiveness, and suggest ways of solving these challenges to enable private security companies contribute effectively to crime control in Nigeria. The study utilized the survey design and. randomly extracted information through questionnaire and in-depth interview from 1,520 respondents. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage and charts were used to analyze quantitative data from questionnaire; qualitative data was subjected to content analysis. Finding showed that majority of the respondents (72.0%) adjudged the contribution of PSCs to crime control as effective while (69.0%) were satisfied with their performance. The study found that most of the respondents were willing to recommend the services of PSCs to their friends in spite of the flaw trailing their operations. The study recommends among others that government should approve a holistic legal framework for the operations of the private security sector to enhance their growth, expansion, sustenance, and contribution in the national security discourse, and PSC operators should improve their relationship with police and other agents of governments for better and efficient service delivery