INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS THE CHALLENGES OF INSECURITY IN NIGERIA: A THEMATIC EXPOSITION
EME, OKECHUKWU INNOCENT ANTHONY ONYISHI DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA Abstract
VOL 3, NO 8
DECEMBER 2011
Matters of safety and security are topical issues in today’s Nigeria. Life has always been precarious in our country. It is subject to all manners of dangers. In the first place it is often a victim of killer diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, small pox, HIV/AIDs among others. In addition to threats from diseases, are threats that are man-made. In the past, we used to fear for the security of our property from armed robbers. Today, we fear for our lives from kidnappers, political and economic related assassination and extra-judicial killings. These have rapidly become familiar features of our landscape. The impact of this massive sense of insecurity on the both psychic and overall functioning of Nigerians cannot be overestimated. The paper examines in a thematic form the concept of insecurity and its various manifestation using concrete examples. It goes to posit on the need to check the rising threats to lives and property across Nigeria and the poor living conditions of many Nigerians. The paper also identifies the implications and challenges insecurity posses for the polity and concludes by positing that Nigeria’s democracy is endangered as political intolerance, and economic frustration gather momentum in the form of assassinations, intimidations, threats and hostage taken across Nigeria. Keywords: Insecurity, Extra-judicial and political Killings, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping and Hostage Taking and Economic Frustration
Introduction Former Governor of old Kano State Abubarkar Rimi died last two weeks after an encounter with bandits known as kwanta kwanta. He was heading for Kano from Bauchi when he had the encounter with the men of the underworld. They