EVALUATION OF THE PERFORMANCE OF NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN TARABA STATE

This study examines how well the police in Taraba North Senatorial District have been able to administer criminal justice, especially against the backdrop of allegations of gross abuse of power arrest, detention, investigation and prosecutions as well as operational inefficiency often leveled against them by critics. To assess the level of credibility in these allegations the researcher administered questionnaires on one hundred crime suspect and fifty police officers selected from the five police divisions out of the existing eight in Taraba North Senatorial District. Though, not all the questions in the questionnaire were freely answered by the respondents for fear of apprehension. They were thus assured that every information, that was released by them will enjoy top confidentiality. At the end of the whole exercise it was discovered that the police have not been able to live up to expectation as a results of an over weighing influence of their own sub-culture which is largely emphasized by brutality, bribery and corruption as well as outright lack of motivation among serving police officers. The study recommended an overhauling of criminal justice system among other recommendations.