Neighborhood Watch is one of the best-known crime prevention concepts in Nigeria. It was established due to an increase in crime rate as a crime prevention initiative focused on residential areas and involving local citizens.
The creation of the National Neighborhood Watch was necessitated to assist citizens and law enforcement. In the aftermath of several bandit attacks, kidnapping of students within school premises, strengthening and securing communities has become more critical than ever.
Neighborhood Watch initiative have responded to the challenge, expanding beyond their traditional crime prevention role to help neighborhoods focus on disaster preparedness, emergency response and terrorism awareness. National Neighborhood Watch empowers Nigerians to become active in security efforts through participation in Neighborhood Watch groups.
Many neighborhoods already have established watch groups that are vibrant, effective, and can take on this expanded role with ease. For neighborhoods without thriving groups, the renewed emphasis on emergency preparedness and response may provide the right incentive for citizens to participate in Neighborhood Watch in their community.
The foundation of the Neighborhood Watch program is the information, training, technical support and resources provided to local law enforcement agencies and citizens. The training program is designed to build the capacity of law enforcement officers assigned to work with community groups by providing specific instruction on topics important to Neighborhood Watch.