Covid-19 Pandemic and Enforcement of Order by the Nigeria Police Force in Enugu Urban, South-East Nigeria
Covid-19 pandemic is a highly infectious virus which requires precautionary measures to contain the disease. In order to ensure public compliance to the preventive measures, the Nigeria police Force was mandated to enforce these measures amid a seeming intractable face-off between the Nigeria Police Force and the public. The aim of the study was to appraise the role of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in the enforcement of Covid- 19 Pandemic order in Enugu Urban, South-East Nigeria. The study was guided by two study objectives. Mixed research method was adopted for the study. The general population of the study was 475151, from which a sample size of 400 was selected using Taro Yamen formula for sample determination. Frequency , percentage and graphic illustration were adopted for the analysis. Content analysis was adopted in analyzing the in-depth interview data gathered. The study found that the police were too hard on the people in the course of enforcing the Covid-19 pandemic order. It was equally found that police were not fair in treatment meted on the public and this made the public not to comply with the police. The study recommended among others that there should be a special squad in the Nigeria Police Force specially trained to deal with policing the public in periods of health pandemic. Such officers should have knowledge of human health. Again, the Nigeria Police Force should be given the desired training in applying procedural justice at all times during investigation instead of brutal force and intimidation as a way of policing the nation.