The objective of this project is to examine the Nigeria Police Force management of crises and conflict in as a colonial institution that has survived for several decades, in order to understand the modifications and adaptations which have occurred in its historical role and functions, especially, after indigenous personnel had replaced the expatriate ones. It is assumed that such adaptations would be able to achieve greater congruence with the values and norms of the Nigerian society. The Nigeria Police Force, surely, has experienced different leadership qualities, training and several reorganizations, including purging it of the ‘bad eggs’. But how near is the nation to a sufficiently friendly, responsive, literate, largely honest, well-equipped, numerically adequate and efficient police force that is able to sustain public confidence in any appreciable sense.

Since the return to democratic rule in 1999, Nigeria has witnessed different forms of conflict ranging from sectarian to ethno religious crises, whole sale abduction, hostage taking, arson, incidents of cattle rustlings and terrorism in the North. Our nascent democracy has also been tested by rampant crimes of armed robbery, baby factories and kidnappings in the East, pipeline vandalism, crude-oil theft and civil unrest in the South; abduction, hostage taking and ritual killings in the West. All these have had severe consequences on human and material resources of the nation hence the inevitability of the Nigeria Police Force involvement in internal security of the country. This study seeks to investigate the extent to which the Nigeria Police Force have been involved in the states internal security and the prospects and challenges associated with it. The study predominantly utilized data and in the final analysis, the findings indicated that today’s Nigeria is witnessing a higher level of aggression and wanton destruction of lives and properties and as such the role of the military in the internal security of Ijebu-Ode cannot be over emphasized. Therefore this study recommends that the Nigeria Police Force should remain an indispensible partner in the internal security network of the state.

Keywords: Nigeria Police Force, Management, Crisis, Conflict, Policing, Problems, Prospects.

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