Influence of Public Trust and Perception of the Nigeria Police Force on Intelligence Sharing Among Citizens

This research measured how public trust and perception of the Nigeria Police Force influence intelligence sharing among the citizens. The study became imperative given how integral citizen-led intelligence is to addressing rising insecurity in Nigeria. The study adopted the survey research design, while the questionnaire served as the instrument of data collection. A total of 300 Nigerians (150 online and 150 offline) across the country were targeted for the study, but 256 valid responses were eventually analysed. The study was anchored on the Procedural Justice Theory and Institutional Trust Theory. Data from the study was analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The researcher found the majority of Nigerians sampled have low trust in the police as well as a negative perception of the force. The study also found such low trust and negative perception of the NPF were mostly shaped by respondents’ personal experiences with the police rather than hearsay. Further findings showed that trust and perception of the police influence intelligence sharing among Nigerians. In spite of this, the study revealed that citizens were willing to share intelligence with the police and indicated readiness to cooperate more with them if misconduct, corruption, and other concerns were addressed. The study recommended, among others, that the NPF should consider significant reforms to rebuild citizens’ trust in the institution and address negative perceptions about it to enable it to function optimally in the fight against insecurity.