Enforcement of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown orders in Nigeria: Evidence of public (non)compliance and police illegalities

Abstract Given the public resentment that trailed the unprecedented lockdown order enforced as a public health emergency control strategy to contain the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, this study explored citizens’ compliance with the order and how its enforcement occasioned illegal police practices in Nigeria. With a qualitative approach, this study recruited 90 participants using varieties of sampling methods to understand public behaviour and police conduct in the enforcement of the order. From the insights gathered with a semi-structured