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Article History

Accepted: 28 February 2025

First Online: 13 March 2025

Declarations

:

: In Nigeria, the institution that provides clearance on human subject research is known has the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC). By mandate, the agency only focuses on health-related research involving human subjects and provides clearance solely for that as mandated. For such research, applicants or would be researchers are to submit application for ethics review for research studies to conduct in more than three sites in Nigeria or for Phase I clinical trials in the country. See the website below.Nevertheless, I sought clearance with the research participants on informed consent, risk of harm, anonymity and confidentiality. Notably, 21 participants were contacted for the study as informed and knowledgeable key informant interviewees. However, four of them declined because of the security sensitivity attached to the study.

: Prior calls were made to introduce myself to the research participants as some of them were recommended to me. They were fully informed of what will be asked of them, how the data will be used, and what (if any) consequences there could be. The participants provided verbal consent to taking part with the research, including understanding their rights to access their information and the right to withdraw at any point. For the aspects of informed consent, I provided clear explanation to the participant on the following:• Who I am- that is my identity as a researcher.• The intent of my research• What data will be collected from participants• How the data will be collected from participants (in case of recording by any means)• What level of commitment is required from participants• How this data will be used and reported (on this note all the research participant stated they can only participate in the interview if their names would not be mentioned or any quote attributed to them except that is done anonymously, and• What are the potential risks of taking part in the research.

: No competing interest.

: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

: Drawing from my interaction with the participants on informed consent, it became pivotal that the identity of participants is kept confidential and anonymous. I provided the assurances that beyond protecting their names, I will also avoid using self-identifying statements and Information regarding the responses to my research questions. The anonymity option is an important step in protecting the participants from potential harm.Thus, with the confidentiality assurance, I am bound to de-identify the personality of the interview participants throughout the manuscript. Considering the range of potential harms such as physical, reputational and even job loss for the police officers who consented to be interviewed. Therefore, the above steps have been taken to eliminate, isolate, and minimize the risk, with the participants being fully informed on what the risks are right form the point of introduction.