TOXIC LEADERSHIP AND TURNOVER INTENTION AMONG POLICE OFFICERS IN THE NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE

TIMINEPERE OGELE COURT
Department of Business Administration, University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Nigeria
Correspondence Email: timi2k2002@gmail.com; timinepere.court@uat.edu.ng

Abstract

The study draws on the leader-member exchange model and explores the relationship between toxic leadership and turnover intentions of police officers in the Nigerian Police Force. The study employed survey design and a sample of 280 police officers were selected through a stratified random sampling procedure. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire. The measurement scale was examined to determine the reliability and validity using various statistics. The method of data analysis was Partial Least Square Regression with structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The data were analyzed and the results demonstrated that there was a positive but insignificant relationship between abusive supervision and turnover intention of police officers, there was a significant positive relationship between narcissistic leadership and turnover intention of police officers; there was a positive  non-significant relationship self-promoting leadership and turnover intention of police officers ;there was a significant positive relationship between unpredictable leadership and turnover intention of police officers. The study concluded that police officers in the Nigerian Police had the intention to leave for other jobs due to toxic leadership style of superior officers. In tandem with findings, it was recommended that superior officers need to empathize while enforcing rules, procedures and programmes of the Nigerian Police.

Keywords:  Toxic Leadership, Abusive Supervision, Narcissism, Unpredictable leaders, Turnover intent, Nigerian Police.