It seems there is a proliferation of security agencies and activities in response to the increasing spate of crime in Nigerian cities recently.[1] From traffic-jam robbers to small/high-profile kidnappers, from petty thieves to sophisticated armed robbers capable of raiding banks. Though there may not be any perfect country, the frequency of crimes in Nigeria positions it among the most unsafe places to be.[2] The more the security agencies are deployed to secure Nigerian cities, the more the criminal activities in Nigeria abound. And without a structural adjustment of the society for productivity, the number of criminals in Nigeria can only increase.
Human beings have various physical and material needs for sustaining a decent life: food, house, clothing, family, health etcetera. They go about (individually or collectively) in search of means and resources for obtaining and sustaining these elements. When they are unable to obtain resources for living a comfortable and decent life, they become desperate and possibly, dangerous.[3] Human society is formed to ensure collaboration of members of the society towards multiplying and distributing resources for common good. In places where social collaboration does not lead to equitable distribution of resources, desperation and eventual crime-increase become inevitable.
Second, humans are active beings, who continually seek to actualize their innate potentials through their achievements in the society.[4] Human beings derive degrees of satisfaction and fulfilment when their names are associated with great, mighty or unusual social events. Through conscious and unconscious approval of social occurrences, the society directs citizens to positive or negative courses of action. By rewarding ill-gotten wealth, laziness, greed, nudity and unproductivity, the society discourages integrity, decency, honour and dignity-of-labour. When you don’t give them something good to do, they choose what is available and most promoted on the mass-media.
Current situation of events suggest that the number of criminals in Nigeria can only increase, instead of reducing. The level of desperation for survival is very high that people are ready to risk anything just to eat. Parents who watch their children and relatives reel in hunger, disease and agony may be unable to resist crime’s temptation. Nigeria was formed by forcefully merging many ‘presently-incompatible’ communities and kingdoms.[5] These communities and kingdoms have never agreed to collaborate for developing, multiplying and distributing their resources for common good.[6] Instead, the alien government used the colonial-allied military to seize communities’ access to their mineral resources in favour of the colonialists’ industries. [7][8][9]
When young and strong people have no access to resources to use for production, they use the energy for destruction. Due to the denial of access to mineral resources for productivity, young men flock into internet fraud, [10] robbery, kidnapping and etcetera. Young ladies either resort to sex-trade when they are unable to get employment or join the men criminals. The current economic crunch experienced now is an indication that the number of criminals in Nigeria can only increase.
Apart from the criminal activities resulting from poverty, hunger and desperation, other criminal orientations are prompted by media endorsements. Presently, media handlers direct approval-grade-attention to nudities, high-label-purchase of foreign goods, bags, shoes, cars, while reports of character excellence are unreported/unrewarded. Girls now steal phones, clothes and hair-attachments to show off; guys dupe or rob whatever is possible to gain the social attention.
Increasing the number of security agents without addressing the factors of unproductive desperation and unhealthy social values will not stop crimes. No good building can be erected on a failed foundation. Thus, unless ethnic communities retrieve access to their natural resources for production, the number of criminals in Nigeria can only increase. These youthful energies will continue to be misused on frivolities and dangerous activities. And until hard-work, integrity and productivity are rewarded, the number of criminals in Nigeria can only increase.
[1] Chiemelie Ezeobi, Nigeria: we need to pay attention to security, http://allafrica.com/stories/201109091288.html, 9-9-2011
[2] James Karuga, Most dangerous cities in Africa, http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/most-dangerous-cities-in-africa.html 25-04-2017
[3] Cf. Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan Ed. Michael Oakeshott (New York: Macmillan, 1962).p187
[4] Cf. Austen, Accomplishment and human development in Austen’s pride and prejudice, http://www.motherservice.org/content/accomplishment-and-human-development-austens-pride-prejudice/ extracted on 24/9.2017
[5] cf. Richard Dowden, Africa altered states, ordinary miracles. New York: Public Affairs, 2010. p.445
[6] cf. Richard Dowden, Africa altered states, ordinary miracles. New York: Public Affairs, 2010. p.445
[7] Nigerian minerals and mining act 2007 act no. 20, chapter 1, Part 1, Section 1, paragraph 2
[8] Nigerian minerals and mining act 2007 act no. 20, chapter 1, Part 1, Section 2, paragraph 1
[9] Nigerian minerals and mining act 2007 act no. 20, chapter 1, Part 1, Section 1, paragraph 3
[10] Babatope Longe, Why cybercrime is high in Nigeria, reported by Kemi Olatunji, https://guardian.ng/technology/why-cyber-crime-is-rampant-by-university-teacher-longe/29-6-2017
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