https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4321-1065
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ABSTRACT
The emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in November 2019 has nearly brought the world to a halt. Recording her first COVID-19 case on 27 February 2020, the Nigerian government’s default response to the pandemic was to lock down major parts of the country, among other measures. Despite the nationwide lockdown, inter-state travel continued unabated as many travellers bribed their way through the different checkpoints mounted by security agencies. As a result of the prevalence of ‘normed corruption’, the lockdown only created opportunity for brazen extortion by law enforcement officials. Using the institutional corruption theory as our framework of analysis, and coupled with the use of both primary and secondary data generated during the lockdown, the paper noted that entrenched culture of extortionate policing in the ranks of security forces meant that arrest and prosecution of violators of the lockdown became a distant concern. The result is that COVID-19 suspects or carriers travelled from one state to another without being detected. It concludes that Nigeria should leverage lessons learned from policing COVID-19 in framing future responses in containment measures.
Notes
1 Mishra, ‘The World after COVID-19’.
2 Hsiang et al., ‘The Effect of Large-Scale’, 262–7.
3 SB Morgen Intelligence, ‘Nigeria’s COVID-19 Journey’.
4 Iwuoha and Aniche, ‘Covid-19 Lockdown’, 631–40.
5 Transparency International, ‘Arresting Corruption’, 27.
6 Lindgren, ‘The Theory, History, and Practice’.
7 Lar, ‘Policing by Task Force’, 178.
8 Alemika, ‘Police Practice’.
9 Kelling, ‘Police: Law Enforcement’.
10 Vanguard, ‘Over 300 Army/Police Check-Points’.
11 The CLEEN Foundation, a very reputable civil society organisation in Nigeria, launched the COVID-19 Public Safety Support Virtual Centre (COVID-PSSC) on 1 April 2020 to provide real-time public safety and security information to Nigerians. It created the COVID-19 Nigeria Security Support Group (CNSSG) which includes state coordinators and observers in the 774 Local Governments Areas across the 36 states and the federal capital territory. Members use an electronic platform, Tella Application, to report compliance by citizens of government directives and rights violations by security personnel.
12 Prins, ‘What is Wrong’.
13 Thompson, ‘Theories of Institutional Corruption’.
14 Thompson, ‘Theories of Institutional Corruption’.
15 Thompson, ‘Theories of Institutional Corruption’.
16 Osasona, ‘The Political Economy’.
17 McCormack, ‘Police Perceptions’.
18 ‘COVID-19: Abia records five new confirmed cases', Healthwise, 18 May 2020.
19 WHO Africa, ‘“My 14-day sojourn at the Isolation Centre was an eye-opener” – Adamawa COVID-19 hero', 18 June 2020, https://www.afro.who.int/news/my-14-day-sojourn-isolation-centre-was-eye-opener-adamawa-covid-19-hero
20 Tessy Igomu, ‘Journalist tests positive for COVID-19, becomes Adamawa's index case', Healthwise, 22 April, 2020.
21 World Health Organization, ‘Coronavirus – Nigeria: Adamawa State Ministry of Health COVID-19 Situation Report 13', news release, 6 May, 2020.
22 ‘Anambra Government Closes All Motor Parks As Index Coronavirus Goes Missing', Sahara Reporters, 11 April 2020.
23 Vincent Ujumadu, ‘COVID-19: Anambra identifies cattle dealer from Kano as second case', Vanguard, 15 May 2020.
24 bayo wahab, ‘6 Almajiri kids from Kano test positive for coronavirus in Bauchi', Pulse, 2 May 2020.
25 ‘Six almajiri kids from Kano among new COVID-19 cases in Bauchi', The Cable, 2 May 2020.
26 Abdulkareem Haruna, ‘Bauchi officials go after escaped COVID-19 patient' Premium Times, 8 May 2020.
27 ‘Benue State Confirms First Case Of Coronavirus', Sahara Reporters, 28 March 2020.
28 Samson Toromade, ‘Kano returnee is Benue's 2nd coronavirus case', Pulse, 5 May 2020.
29 ‘Benue Confirms Second COVID-19 Case', Daily Trust, 6 May 2020.
30 Abdulkareem Haruna, ‘Borno has four confirmed cases of COVID-19 – Official', Premium Times, 21 April 2020.
31 Omon-Julius Onabu, ‘Delta Index Case Named ‘COVID-19 Ambassador', This Day, 6 June 2020.
32 Ujumadu, Vincent, Chidi Nkwopara, Peter Okutu, Chinedu Adonu, and Chinenye Ozor, ‘COVID-19: Ebonyi records first index case', Vanguard, 28 April 2020.
33 ‘Umahi confirms 2 new COVID-19 cases in Ebonyi', The Guardian, 3 May 2020.
34 ‘Ebonyi Confirms Two New Cases Of Coronavirus', Channels Television, 9 May 2020.
35 ‘COVID-19: Umahi confirms second case in Ebonyi', The Guardian, 29 April 2020.
36 ‘Edo speaker tests positive for coronavirus', The Cable, 25 March 2020.
37 Josiah Oluwole, ‘COVID-19: How infected pregnant health worker ‘sneaked’ into Ekiti - Fayemi', Premium Times, 19 April 2020.
38 Josiah Oluwole, ‘How Ekiti man contracted coronavirus - Official', Premium Times, 18 March 2020.
39 ‘Enugu govt intercepts COVID-19 patient who escaped from Delta State Isolation centre to Enugu', Vanguard, 6 May 2020.
40 ‘Our Confirmed Cases Entered Enugu Illegally, Says Ugwuanyi', This Day, 14 May 2020.
41 ‘COVID-19: Enugu government confirms new positive case', The Guardian, 29 April 2020.
42 Abdulrazaq Mungadi, ‘Gombe records first cases of COVID-19 as 5 test positive' The Sun, 21 April 2020.
43 Abdulkareem Haruna, ‘Borno has four confirmed cases of COVID-19 – Official', Premium Times, 21 April 2020.
44 ‘Borno has four confirmed cases of COVID-19 – Official', The Guardian, 11 May 2020.
45 ‘Jigawa records Index Case of COVID-19', Radio Nigeria, 17 April 2020.
46 ‘COVID-19: Enugu govt investigates travel history of confirmed Jigawa case', Vanguard, 21 April 2020.
47 ‘65 Out of 169 Almajiris Brought Back To Kaduna Tested Positive For COVID-19 – El Rufai', Channels Television, 6 May 2020.
48 Martins Ifijeh, ‘Almajiris Deported from Kano Brought 21 COVID-19 Cases to Kaduna, Says El-Rufai', This Day, 29 April 2020.
49 Abiola Odutola, ‘Kano records first COVID-19 confirmed case', Nairametrics, 11 April 2020.
50 Ben Ezeamalu, ‘Coronavirus: How Kano's index case deceived us – Medical Doctor', Premium Times, 16 April 2020.
51 ‘Katsina COVID-19 index case dies', Radio Nigeria, 7 April 2020.
52 ‘COVID-19: Kebbi announces first death from 2nd index case', The Guardian, 2 May 2020.
53 Joshua Odeyemi, ‘COVID-19: Kebbi Records Index Case', Daily Trust, 26 April 2020.
54 ‘Professor suspended for concealing suspected COVID-19 case', Premium Times, 11 April 2020.
55 Demola Akinyemi, ‘Kwara blames rise in COVID-19 cases on influx of travellers from Lagos, North West', Vanguard, 16 May 2020.
56 Akwagyiram, Alexis, and Camillus Eboh, ‘Italian with coronavirus in Nigeria was not isolated for almost 48 hours', Reuters, 28 February 2020.
57 ‘Nasarawa records Index Case of COVID-19', Radio Nigeria, 28 April 2020.
58 Abel Abogonye, ‘Nasarawa records two new cases of coronavirus', The Guardian, 1 May 2020.
59 ‘Niger State government confirms four new cases says patients in stable condition' Daily Post, 16 May 2020.
60 Salau, Gbenga, and Charles Coffie Gyamfi, ‘Sanwo-Olu narrates how coronavirus patient was brought to Lagos', The Guardian, 29 February 2020.
61 Josiah Oluwole, ‘Coronavirus: Ondo index case tests negative, to be discharged' Premium Times, 20 April 2020.
62 Bamigbola Gbolagunte, ‘COVID-19: Fear grips Ondo residents over 2nd index case', The Sun, 13 April 2020.
63 Adejumo Kabir, ‘Coronavirus: Osun discharges index case, records one death', Premium Times, 2 May 2020.
64 ‘Oyo index coronavirus patient discharged — after testing negative', The Cable, 31 March 2020.
65 El-ameen Ibrahim, ‘Coronavirus: Plateau's index case arrived from Kano – Official', Premium Times, 24 April 2020.
66 Kazeem Ugbodaga, ‘Coronavirus index case in Rivers is 19-year-old Edo Model', PM News, 26 March 2020.
67 https://www.msn.com/en-xl/africa/nigeria/62-year-old-uk-returnee-issecond-covid-19-patient-in-rivers/ar-BB12hh5H; site now discontinued
68 ‘COVID-19: Taraba confirms six cases', Premium Times, 27 April 2020.
69 CLEEN Foundation, ‘“Cleaning” the Police’.
70 Obaro, ‘The Nigeria Police Force’.
71 Ibidapo-Obe, ‘The Nigeria Police’.
72 Ihekweazu, ‘Steps Nigeria is Taking’; Musa et al., ‘Nigeria’s Ebola Outbreak Response.
73 Amzat et al., ‘Coronavirus Outbreak in Nigeria’.
74 Ogundipe, ‘Gaps in Nigeria’s COVID-19’; Onubogu, ‘COVID-19 and Conflict’.
75 Ajibola, ‘Nigeria had recorded’.
76 Akasike et al., ‘Coronavirus: Lagos, Rivers’; CGTN, ‘Nigeria extends second phase’.
77 Ojewole, ‘Rights-Based Approach’.
78 ThisDay Live, ‘How Inter-State Travels’.
79 SB Morgen Intelligence, ‘Nigeria’s COVID-19 Journey’.
80 Ibid.
81 NCDC, ‘COVID-19 Situation Report 124’.
82 Onuoha et al., ‘Misconduct and Disciplinary Measures’.
83 Punch, ‘COVID-19: Govs Fume’.
84 UNODC, ‘Corruption in Nigeria’; Ijewereme, ‘Anatomy of Corruption’; Mohammed, ‘Corruption in Nigeria’; Onuoha, ‘Corruption and National Security’.
85 Onuoha, ‘Civil-military Relations’.
86 Human Rights Watch, ‘Nigeria: Corruption Fuelling’; Human Rights Watch, ‘Everyone’s in on the Game’; Agbiboa, ‘Protectors or Predators?’.
87 UNODC, ‘Corruption in Nigeria’.
88 Page, ‘A New Taxonomy’.
89 Olatunji, ‘Maximum Gain’: Ojewole, ‘Rights-Based Approach’; Ibekwe et al., ‘Extortion Bazaar’.
90 Olatunji, ‘Maximum Gain’.
91 Unini, ‘Security Agents Pocketed’.
92 Onuoha et al., ‘Misconduct and Disciplinary Measures’.
93 McCormack, ‘Police Perceptions’.
94 Unini, ‘Security Agents Pocketed’.
95 Punch, ‘COVID-19: Govs Fume’.
96 Ibekwe et al., ‘Extortion Bazaar’.
97 C. Okafor, personal communication, 25 April, 2020.
98 K. Ezirim, personal communication, 18 June, 2020.
99 Ogundipe, ‘Updated: Nigeria Security Forces’.
100 Ekezie, ‘Checkpoint Economy’.
101 Fieldwork, 28 June, 2020.
102 J. Uche, personal communication, 6 May, 2020.
103 Stephens, ‘Police Discipline’.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Freedom Chukwudi Onuoha
Dr. Freedom C. Onuoha is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Coordinator of Security, Violence and Conflict (SVC) Research Group at the University. His teaching and research interests focus on national and transnational security challenges, with emphasis on violent extremism, terrorism, insurgency, maritime security, P/CVE, violent conflict organised crime, election security, and state fragility. Dr. Onuoha has several publications to his credit. With Varin Caroline, he co-edited Security in Nigeria: Contemporary Threats and Responses (London: Bloomsbury, 2020), and with Oshita Oshita and Alumona Ikenna, Internal Security Management in Nigeria: Perspectives, Challenges and Lessons (Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019). Dr. Onuoha consults for several international, national and civil society organisations. His contact email is: [email protected]
Gerald Ekenedirichukwu Ezirim
Dr. Gerald Ezirim is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is a member of the Security, Violence and Conflict (SVC) Research Group at the University. He has published papers in Review of African Political Economy, Japanese Journal of Political Science, Local Environment, Democracy and Security, Cogent Social Sciences, Social Indicators Research, among others. His research interests centre around security and human rights, conflict and peace, resource governance, African politics and international relations. He is presently Secretary-General, Nigerian Political Science Association; he is also a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP). His contact email is: [email protected]
Paul Ani Onuh
Mr. Paul A. Onuh is a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is presently a Doctoral candidate. He is a member of the Nigerian Political Science Association and has published with the International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy. His contact email is: [email protected]