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Author(s):
JSMPA.
Page No :
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VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2 TABLE OF CONTENT
Abstract
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 2 TABLE OF CONTENT
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Author(s):
SANUSI Kaura Mohammed.
Page No : 1-24
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The Role of Gwandu Emirate Council in Promoting Educational Access and Literacy in Rural Communities, 2005-2015
Abstract
This study examines the role of the Gwandu Emirate Council in promoting educational access and literacy in rural communities within Kebbi State, Nigeria, between 2005 and 2015. Traditional institutions have historically played a critical role in shaping socio-cultural norms and community development in northern Nigeria. This research explores how the Emirate Council leveraged its authority, legitimacy, and community networks to enhance enrolment, reduce out-of-school children, and improve literacy outcomes among both children and adults. The study highlights the Council’s strategies, including community mobilisation, advocacy for girl-child education, establishment of adult literacy centres, school infrastructure development, and mediation of local conflicts to create safe learning environments. Using primary and secondary sources of data and analytical method of historical reconstruction, findings indicate that these interventions led to a significant increase in student enrolment, a reduction in dropout rates, improved literacy levels, and positive economic, social, and security impacts. However, the Council’s efforts were constrained by challenges such as socio-cultural resistance, gender biases, inadequate school infrastructure, teacher shortages, poverty, security threats, and limited financial and institutional capacity. The study concludes by recommending multi-dimensional strategies to overcome these challenges, including strengthened collaboration with government agencies, enhanced community sensitisation, targeted support for female education, capacity-building for teachers, and sustainable resource mobilisation.
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Author(s):
ODEY John Idiege.
Page No : 25-44
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Manpower Training and Development of the Nigerian Military: A Study of Nigerian Air Force (2005 – 2022)
Abstract
This study examined manpower training and development in the Nigerian military, with particular focus on the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the role of the Air Training Command (ATC) from 2005 to 2022. The research investigated the extent to which training policies, strategies, and programmes have influenced the effectiveness, professionalism, and operational readiness of NAF personnel. The study was anchored on Human Capital Theory and Learning Curve Theory, which provided a framework for understanding how investments in training enhance personnel productivity, efficiency, and skill acquisition over time through continuous learning and experience. Guided by these theoretical foundations, a mixed-methods approach was adopted, utilising both primary data (interviews and questionnaires administered to key stakeholders including officers, instructors, and trainees) and secondary sources (official documents, reports, and policy frameworks). The findings revealed that manpower training and development remain central to the NAF’s capacity-building efforts, but challenges such as inadequate funding, limited facilities, evolving security threats, and reliance on foreign training institutions constrained optimal outcomes. Despite these challenges, ATC has contributed significantly to human capital development through the establishment of specialised training schools, curriculum reviews, and increased emphasis on indigenous capacity building. The study concludes that strengthening training policies, expanding infrastructure, and aligning training with modern warfare requirements are essential for enhancing NAF’s operational effectiveness. Recommendations include improved funding, continuous curriculum upgrade, strengthened partnerships with local and foreign institutions, and sustained monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure training meets the demands of contemporary and future security challenges.
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Author(s):
EMMANUEL Jebe Atewe, Ayoola Richard Olayiwola, PhD.
Page No : 45-72
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International Organisations and the Peaceful Settlement of Territorial Disputes in Africa: Lessons from the Bakassi Peninsula Crisis
Abstract
The persistence of territorial disputes continues to pose significant challenges to peace, security, and regional integration in Africa despite the existence of international and regional mechanisms for conflict management. This paper examines the role of international organisations in the peaceful settlement of territorial disputes in Africa through an analysis of the Bakassi Peninsula dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon. Drawing exclusively on secondary data obtained from international legal instruments, judicial decisions, official documents, scholarly publications, and policy reports, the study evaluates how international law and multilateral institutions contributed to preventing the escalation of the dispute into a prolonged interstate conflict. Anchored in Liberal Institutionalism, the paper argues that the peaceful settlement of the Bakassi dispute resulted not from judicial adjudication alone but from the interaction of international law, preventive diplomacy, sustained political commitment, and coordinated institutional implementation. The paper demonstrates that the International Court of Justice provided legal certainty regarding territorial sovereignty, while the United Nations, through diplomatic engagement and the Cameroon–Nigeria Mixed Commission, facilitated the implementation of the Court's judgment and reduced the risk of renewed hostilities. The paper concludes that durable settlement of interstate territorial disputes in Africa requires an integrated approach that combines judicial settlement, diplomacy, political leadership, institutional coordination, and human security considerations. The Bakassi experience offers valuable lessons for strengthening Africa's continental peace and security architecture and demonstrates the continuing relevance of international organisations in promoting peaceful interstate relations within a rules-based international order.
Keywords: Bakassi Peninsula; International Organisations; Peaceful Settlement of Disputes; International Court of Justice; Territorial Disputes.
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Author(s):
IBRAHIM Abdul Ja’afaru.
Page No : 73-95
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Climate Change and Agricultural Productivity in Kaduna State, Nigeria: Implications for Food Security
Abstract
This study examined the influence of climate change on agricultural productivity and its implications for food security in Kaduna State, Nigeria, between 2015 and 2023. The study was motivated by the increasing incidence of irregular rainfall, rising temperatures, prolonged dry spells, and flooding, which have adversely affected agricultural production and threatened household food security in the state. Despite growing literature on climate change and agriculture, limited empirical evidence exists on how climate change has influenced agricultural productivity and food security specifically within Kaduna State. The study adopted a quantitative research design anchored on Food Security Theory, as propounded by Sen (1981), Maxwell and Smith (1992), and Frankenberger (1992). The study population comprised the projected population of Kaduna State, while a sample size of 400 respondents was determined using the Taro Yamane formula. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, of which 390 were successfully retrieved and analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed a significant nexus between climate change and agricultural productivity, with irregular rainfall and rising temperatures reducing crop yields and agricultural output. The study further found that declining agricultural productivity has worsened household food insecurity, while inadequate irrigation facilities, weak extension services, and limited access to climate information constrained farmers' adaptive capacity. The study concludes that climate change has become a major driver of declining agricultural productivity and food insecurity in Kaduna State. It contributes to knowledge by extending Food Security Theory through demonstrating that institutional adaptation mechanisms mediate the relationship between climate change, agricultural productivity, and food security at the subnational level. The study recommends expanding irrigation infrastructure, strengthening climate smart agricultural extension services, increasing investment in climate resilient farming technologies, and integrating climate adaptation into agricultural and food security policies.
Keywords: Climate change, agricultural productivity, food security, climate adaptation, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
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Author(s):
IBUKUN-OLUWA Ochogwu, OLORUNMOWAJU Ayodele Obatomi.
Page No : 96-116
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Exploring Realistic Strategies for Result-Oriented Counter-Terrorism Operations in Nigeria
Abstract
Nigeria’s ongoing counter-terrorism measure against terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) predominantly in the Northern region has not been able to achieve sustainable peace and security in the affected region. This study examines the current strategies employed by the Nigerian government, such as the kinetic approach which include military operations, such as the "Operation Lafiya Dole, and the Operation HADIN KAI" which have reclaimed territories but have not completely neutralized terrorist activities. It further examines the effectiveness of other soft approaches like the deradicalization programs, socio-economic interventions, and international collaborations. The study adopts Frustration-Aggression Theory as its framework and supports it with Routine Activity Theory. The paper uses the qualitative method by sourcing secondary data from journals, and government white papers for the literature review. Findings from the study reveals that kinetic approach has been counter-productive and other approaches like the Deradicalization programs of "Operation Safe Corridor", the socio-economic approach incorporated through the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), and international collaborations, including the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) as well. Thus, the paper concludes that Nigeria should adopts more realistic approaches like strengthening intelligence and technological surveillance, community-based counter-terrorism and empowerment, military reform and coordination, as well as regional and international collaboration addressing the socio-economic and security drivers of terrorism.
Key words: Terrorism, Counter Terrorism, Realistic Strategies, Result-Oriented Counter Terrorism
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Author(s):
OMOREGIE, Edoghogho Ph.D, EHIGIATOR Goodness.
Page No : 117-134
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Shaping Nigeria’s National Security: The Role of Ethnic Diversity
Abstract
Shaping Nigeria's National Security the Role of Ethnic Diversity reflects Nigeria nature for its mosaic and vast ethnic diversity, with over 250 ethnic groups that faces persistent national security challenges, rooted in the complex interplay of ethnicity, nepotism, and identity politics. Ethnic diversity, while a source of cultural richness, has often been manipulated for political gain, leading to marginalization, resource-based conflicts, and weakened national cohesion. The prioritization of ethnic group identity over national citizenship has resulted in secessionist movements, increased crime rates, and recurring ethno-religious violence, thereby, undermining Nigeria’s stability and development. This resonates frequently in the forms of ethnic crises often experienced in the course of interactions and access to public goods. This study is grounded in secondary data from scholarly articles, policy reports, and qualitative analyses, investigates on how ethnic diversity shapes Nigeria’s security landscape. The research employs Group Theory, which explains how collective identities influence political behavior, and Securitization Theory, which examines how issues are framed as security threats by political actors, to analyze the dynamics at play. Part of the key findings includes, that, Ethnic Fragmentation is a strong factor militating against national security, emphasis on ethnic divisibility poses a major hindrance to national integration and by implication, affects national security and Weaken Institutions, this makes it easy for people to perpetuate crime and Conflicts thereby becoming a threat to national security. The paper recommends among others, the promotion of inclusive governance, urgent need to address inequality, strengthen institutions and the enhancement of sincere intergroup dialogue in the political system.
Key words: National Security, National Integration, Ethnic Fragmentation and Inclusive Governance
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Author(s):
Suleiman Idris, PhD, Zainab Idris.
Page No : 135-151
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Human Security and Infrastructure Failure: Rethinking Fuel Tanker Crashes in Nigeria
Abstract
This study assessed the persistent issues of fuel tanker crashes on Nigerian roads and its human security nexus, with a focus on understanding the challenges, and potential solutions for improving road transport safety. Over the past decade, Nigeria has witnessed an alarming increase in road accidents involving fuel tankers, often resulting in extensive casualties, environmental degradation, and economic loss. These incidents highlight critical weaknesses in road infrastructure, driver management, vehicle maintenance, regulatory enforcement, and emergency response systems. Objective of the study was to identify the root causes and systemic gaps contributing to these fuel tanker crashes on Nigerian roads. The study adopted a qualitative descriptive research design using thematic document analysis. Data were sourced from secondary sources such as Federal road safety Corps Road Traffic Crashes Reports and published articles. Anchored on the human security theory which shifts the focus of security from territorial protection of the state to protection of individuals. The study revealed that deplorable state of some strategic truck corridors, non-compliance to FRSC Safe-to-load programme checklist by some oil depot as some of the cause for resurging high consequence crash involving tanker trucks. In line with the discovery of the study, it recommends that, there should be liaison with federal and state ministry of transport and works to upgrade road infrastructure, collaboration between FRSC and Oil depots to improve driver training and monitoring systems, and enhancing inter-agency collaboration.
Keywords: Crashes, Failure, Fuel tanker, Human Security, Infrastructure.
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Author(s):
Rita Gyang , Musa Idris, Richard K. Dodo , Emmanuel Duniyo Laah .
Page No : 152-174
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Impact of NG-CARES State Social Transfers on Poverty Reduction among Beneficiaries in Plateau State, Nigeria
Abstract
This study assessed the impact of Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) State Social Transfer (SST) scheme on poverty reduction among beneficiaries in Plateau State, Nigeria. Anchored on the Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA), the study adopted a mixed-methods design using an explanatory sequential approach. Primary data were collected through questionnaires administered to 298 beneficiaries and an interview with a programme facilitator. While secondary data were sourced from official reports and policy documents. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test at a 5% level of significance, and qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. Findings revealed that beneficiaries received an average cash transfer of ₦14,000, with significant variation in disbursement amounts and duration due to funding constraints and operational challenges. Although 80% of respondents reported improvements in household welfare, the paired t-test result (t = 1.964; p = 0.081) indicated that the impact of the SST scheme on poverty reduction was not statistically significant. The study concludes that the NG-CARES SST scheme lacked the capacity to achieve sustainable poverty reduction due to its small, irregular, and temporary nature. The study recommends scaling up the programme through increased and regularized payments and improved funding mechanisms to enhance long-term poverty reduction outcomes.
Keywords: Beneficiaries, NG-CARES Programme, Plateau State, Poverty Reduction, Social Transfers
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Author(s):
JANADA Agwana.
Page No : 175-198
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Humanitarian Assistance and Vulnerability in Conflict-Affected Communities: A Study of Women and Children in Borno State Nigeria (2013-2023)
Abstract
This study critically examines the relationship between humanitarian assistance and women and child vulnerability conflict affected environments, with a particular emphases on the experiences of women and juveniles in Borno State, Nigeria, between 2013 and 2023. Over the past decade, Borno State has experience a protracted armed conflict, largely due to the Boko Haram insurgency, leading to widespread displacement, insecurity, and humanitarian crises. Women and juveniles have borne the brunt of these challenges, facing heightened risks of sexual and gender-based violence, exploitation, forced recruitment, economic marginalization, and disruption of essential services such as education and healthcare. Using a mixed-methods research design, the study combines qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys across three local government areas—Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Monguno, and Gwoza—to explore how humanitarian interventions have responded to the specific vulnerabilities of these groups. Guided by Human Security Theory and Social Vulnerability Theory, the research uncovers structural and operational constraints—such as insecurity, limited access, logistical difficulties, and sociocultural barriers—that impede the effective delivery of aid. The findings reveal a significant gap between the needs of women and juveniles and the reach of current humanitarian responses. The study underscores the importance of adopting gender-sensitive, youth-inclusive, and context-specific strategies to enhance the effectiveness, equity, and sustainability of humanitarian aid. It recommends strengthening institutional frameworks, community participation, and long-term resilience-building measures to support conflict-affected populations. This research contributes to both academic discourse and policy formulation by offering a nuanced understanding of humanitarian assistance in protracted conflict settings, particularly as it affects vulnerable populations in Northeast Nigeria.
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Author(s):
ALIYU Shehu.
Page No : 199-222
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Socio-Economic Implications of Banditry on Chikun and Giwa Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, Nigeria (2015-2022)
Abstract
This study examines the Impact of Banditry and National Security in Nigeria, focusing on Chikun and Giwa Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2022. The increasing wave of armed banditry in northern Nigeria, particularly in Kaduna State, poses serious threats to national security, economic development, and societal cohesion. Using a mixed-method approach, the study draws on both primary and secondary data to assess the socio-economic consequences of banditry, the challenges of its mitigation, the relationship between banditry and national security, and the strategies for curbing its spread. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and documentary analysis. The findings reveal that banditry has had a devastating impact on the agricultural economy of Giwa and Chikun, leading to massive displacement, school closures, and the destruction of health and public infrastructure. Moreover, banditry undermines governance, erodes public trust in state institutions, and contributes to the broader insecurity across Nigeria. The research also highlights key challenges in addressing banditry, including inadequate government response, poor coordination among security agencies, proliferation of illegal arms, and socio-economic marginalization. The study establishes a strong nexus between the activities of armed bandits and Nigeria’s national security crisis, emphasizing how the persistent violence weakens internal state control and exposes systemic governance failures. It further reveals that government responses have largely been reactive and short-term, lacking comprehensive strategies for prevention. The study recommends a multi-pronged approach to addressing the crisis, including youth empowerment, the strengthening of community policing, coordinated security efforts, and socio-economic development. Empowering traditional and local governance structures to play a more active role in peacebuilding is also deemed critical. Overall, the study contributes to the discourse on internal security in Nigeria and offers practical policy recommendations to enhance peace and stability in affected regions.
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Author(s):
AKINDAPO, Lucinda Titilayo, Asso Prof. EA Bature.
Page No : 223-241
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The Socio-Economic Impact of Banditry on Rural Women in Kaduna State, Nigeria: A Mixed Methods Analysis (2015-2023)
Abstract
This study examines the intersection of rural banditry and internal insecurity in Nigeria between 2015 and 2023, focusing specifically on the socio-economic vulnerabilities of rural women across the Chikun, Giwa, and Kachia Local Government Areas of Kaduna State. Methodologically, the study adopts a pragmatic research philosophy and utilizes an explanatory mixed-methods research design that integrates quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative primary data were gathered to measure measurable patterns, frequency, and statistical effects of banditry, while qualitative data from Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) captured the detailed, lived experiences and coping strategies of rural women, community leaders, and security personnel. These data streams were systematically integrated and triangulated with secondary sources to deepen the validity of the findings. Theoretically, the study is anchored on Feminist Political Economy (FPE) theory, integrated with Personal Security Theory, to analyze how structural gender inequalities, resource access limitations, and perceived threat environments shape and compound the security risks faced by women in conflict zones. The findings reveal that persistent banditry characterized by village raids, mass kidnappings, and volatile forest corridor attacks has severely decimated the local agrarian economy. This violence has forced rural women to abandon farmlands and strategic markets due to mobility restrictions, triggering severe household income loss, acute food insecurity, and profound psychological trauma, while exposing major institutional gaps and trust deficits within formal security responses.
Keywords: Banditry, Internal Insecurity, Rural Women, Kaduna State, Feminist Political Economy.
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Author(s):
FAITH Daniel Audu.
Page No : 242-272
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The Socio-Economic Implication of Kidnapping in Nigeria: A Study of Chickun and Igabi Local Government Areas of Kaduna State (2015 – 2024)
Abstract
Kidnapping has emerged as a significant socio-economic and security challenge in Nigeria. This study examines the socio-economic implications of kidnapping in Chikun and Igabi Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kaduna between 2015 and 2024. The research is framed within the Social Disorganization Theory, which explains crime as a function of structural and environmental breakdowns in communities. Using a pragmatic research philosophy, the study adopts a descriptive research design incorporating both qualitative and quantitative methods. Primary data were gathered through questionnaires and key informant interviews with, community leaders, law enforcement agents, and local business owners, while secondary data were sourced from relevant literature and reports. Findings reveal that kidnapping has severely disrupted agricultural activities, which form the backbone of the local economy. Farmers have abandoned farmlands due to insecurity, leading to decreased food production and increased prices of essential commodities. The education sector has been significantly affected, with frequent school closures and declining enrollment rates due to fear of abduction. Similarly, commercial activities have dwindled, as traders and transporters avoid high-risk areas and that further exacerbated poverty and economic instability. Security agencies have been overstretched, and the government’s response has been inadequate in curbing the menace effectively. The study recommends a multi-faceted approach to address the crisis which includes enhanced security deployment, improved intelligence gathering, community policing initiatives, and socio-economic interventions to tackle poverty and unemployment. Strengthening local governance and promoting grassroots participation in security strategies are also crucial.
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Author(s):
ADAMU Bashir Abdullahi, EJIGA John Onyirofieh.
Page No : 273-287
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Border Governance and National Security in Nigeria: Evidence from the Operations of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Katsina State
Abstract
Border control has become an increasingly important component of national security strategy as states confront the growing challenges of irregular migration, transnational organised crime, arms trafficking and violent extremism. In Nigeria, these challenges are particularly pronounced along the country's northern borders, where porous frontiers continue to facilitate cross-border criminal activities despite several institutional and policy interventions. This article examines the role of the Nigeria Immigration Service in strengthening national security through border control in Katsina State between 2019 and 2023. Unlike previous studies that relied primarily on field surveys, the article adopts a qualitative documentary research design based entirely on secondary sources, including peer-reviewed literature, government publications, policy documents, reports of international organisations, and security assessments. The study is anchored on Routine Activity Theory to explain how deficiencies in capable guardianship create opportunities for cross-border criminality. Evidence from the reviewed literature indicates that although the Nigeria Immigration Service has introduced reforms such as biometric border management systems, intelligence-led surveillance and interagency collaboration, its effectiveness continues to be constrained by inadequate manpower, limited technological infrastructure, corruption, weak institutional coordination and the proliferation of informal crossing routes. The review further reveals that border insecurity in Katsina State is sustained by the interaction of institutional weaknesses, socio-economic realities and the adaptive strategies of transnational criminal networks operating across the Nigeria-Niger border. The article concludes that strengthening border governance requires more than enforcement measures; it demands integrated border management, improved intelligence sharing, sustained technological investment, stronger interagency coordination and active participation of border communities. These measures are essential for enhancing national security and promoting effective border governance in Nigeria.
Keywords: Border Governance, Border Security, National Security.
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Author(s):
ONOJAH Shekinah O., Magajiya Tanko, PhD.
Page No : 288-308
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Small Arms and Light Weapons Proliferation and National Security Outcomes in Rivers State: An Empirical Study of Oyigbo and Obio/Akpor LGAs
Abstract
The proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) pose a significant threat to Nigeria's national security, particularly in resource-rich regions like Rivers State. Grounded in state fragility theory, this study investigates the dynamics, drivers, and consequences of SALW proliferation in Rivers State between 2015 and 2025. The research adopted a mixed-methods approach under a pragmatist philosophy, combining quantitative data from 400 structured questionnaires with qualitative insights from 25 in-depth interviews across Oyigbo and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas. Findings reveal that the key drivers of arms proliferation include political instability, chronic youth unemployment, porous trans-border corridors, and violent non-state actor activities, all exacerbated by governance failures and elite rent-seeking behaviors. The consequences are far-reaching: rising urban criminality, cult violence, systemic economic disruption, and the degradation of state authority. Furthermore, the study underscores how regional oil wealth has fostered inequality and arms accumulation rather than sustainable development, a crisis compounded by the cultural normalization of armed self-defense in several communities. Respondents expressed profound distrust in current institutional interventions, highlighting severe enforcement deficits. Consequently, the study recommends strengthening border surveillance and weapon tracking systems, promoting grassroots community policing, and creating targeted economic opportunities for youth. Additionally, it emphasizes the need to reform resource governance, enhance institutional accountability, and align domestic arms control frameworks with international regulatory standards. By decisively addressing both the immediate symptoms and systemic root causes of SALW circulation, Nigeria can better safeguard its territory and foster durable peace in strategic corridors.
Keywords: Small Arms and Light Weapons, Proliferation, National Security, Rivers State
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Author(s):
Maryam Muhammad Suleiman, A.A. Abdussalam, Ph.D.
Page No : 309-328
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Identity Politics and Voting Pattern in the 2023 General Elections: A Study of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State
Abstract
This study examined the influence of identity politics on voting patterns during the 2023 general elections in Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Motivated by limited empirical attention to identity-driven electoral behaviour at the grassroots level, the study assessed how identity politics influenced voting patterns, examined the role of political parties in identity-based mobilisation, analysed implications for democratic consolidation, and identified measures for promoting issue-based voting. Anchored in Social Identity Theory, the study adopted a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. A structured Likert-scale questionnaire was administered to 382 respondents through simple random sampling across the twelve wards of Chikun LGA, while ten key informants were purposively selected for semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that religion, rather than ethnicity, was the more dominant and consciously expressed determinant of voting behaviour, with 65% of respondents agreeing that religion shaped their electoral choices. Ethnicity operated more structurally, filtering candidates out at party nomination rather than as a conscious consideration at the point of voting. Identity politics also had a measurable corrosive effect on democratic consolidation, with 83% agreeing that identity-based voting weakens democratic development generally. The study concludes that identity politics in Chikun LGA operates through a two-tier mechanism, with ethnicity as a structural filter at candidate-selection and religion as a conscious consideration at the point of voting. It recommends stricter regulation of identity-based campaigning, transparent candidate screening, programmatic party competition, inter-group dialogue, and accessible mechanisms for post-election accountability.
Keywords: Identity Politics, Voting Pattern, Ethnicity, Religion, Democratic Consolidation
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Author(s):
USMAN Hamza Abubakar.
Page No : 329-347
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Effects of Boko Haram Insurgency on Voters’ Participation in the 2019 Governorship Election in Borno State, Nigeri
Abstract
Borno State of Nigeria has come under intense Boko Haram insurgency attacks since 2009 with the scuttling of the electoral process as one of its major fallouts. This study examines the effects of Boko Haram insurgency on voters’ participation in the 2019 Governorship election in Borno State. The study used mixed research design in which Questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data and Key Informant Interview was utilized to amass qualitative data. The study population comprises of 2,300,000 registered voters in Borno State as of 2019, out of which 350 respondents were randomly selected as sampled population. The 338 retrieved copies of questionnaire were interpreted, using descriptive statistics while the qualitative data was analysed using content and deductive analyses. Findings of the study were that the voters’ turn-out during the 2019 gubernatorial election was generally low, especially in eight local government areas including Abadam, Guzamala, Marte, Dikwa, Goboru-Ngala, Kukawa, Mobbar and Kalabalge. Findings revealed further that the challenges of voters’ in the 2019 Governorship election in Borno State included inadequate logistic support, lack of optimal access of voters to polling units, disruption of the electoral process by the insurgents, inadequate security protection for voters, and hasty closure of voting centres for security exigencies. This study concluded that the Boko Haram insurgency undermined the 2019 Governorship elections in Borno State. The study recommended, among others, that the Federal Government should always provide adequate security for voters while there should be proper voters’ awareness and psyche sensitization by INEC and security agencies.
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Author(s):
TOLULOPE Julius Omoyeni. Ph.D..
Page No : 348-377
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Ransom Capitalism and State Fragility: The Political Economy of Kidnapping and the Marketisation of Fear in Nigeria.
Abstract
Kidnapping for ransom is a persistent manifestation of insecurity in Nigeria. Studies have consistently explained this through poverty, unemployment, criminality, terrorism, and governance failure. While important, these do not fully account for kidnapping’s transformation to a sophisticated system of accumulation. This article argues that kidnapping-for-ransom has evolved into "Ransom Capitalism" a political-economic system in which insecurity is productive, fear is a commodity, and human vulnerability is a source of wealth. This study adopts a qualitative political economy approach to examine how state fragility facilitates a ransom economy in which fear and vulnerability become mechanisms of accumulation. Drawing on State Fragility Theory, this paper advances three arguments. First, state fragility creates structural conditions that enable ransom capitalism. Second, kidnapping has evolved into a sophisticated economy characterized by organized networks, differentiated pricing, and specialized roles. Third, the marketisation of fear is the principal mechanism through which criminal actors accumulate capital and reproduce insecurity. Fear generates a demand for protection, creating markets that are dependent on persistent insecurity. This study argues that the relationship between kidnapping and state fragility is cyclical. While state weakness facilitates kidnapping networks, the ransom economy erodes state legitimacy, encourages security privatisation, and deepens governance deficits. Consequently, kidnapping is not merely a symptom of state fragility but a process that actively reproduces it. This study finds that kidnapping-for-ransom in Nigeria has evolved into a political economy of accumulation, where fear and vulnerability are commodified. This system emerges from and reproduces state weaknesses. The study concludes that the greatest obstacle to dismantling ransom capitalism may not be a lack of security resources, but the absence of a political will to confront the networks and institutional weaknesses that keep insecurity profitable.
Keywords: Criminal Entrepreneurship; Kidnapping-for-Ransom; Marketisation of Fear; Political Economy of Insecurity; Ransom Capitalism; State Fragility.
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Author(s):
ALHASSAN Yakubu Adeku, FORTUNE Ojochetule Yusufu, MAIWADA Simon Zagana, MUHAMMED Yusuf Danbawa.
Page No : 378-391
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An Assessment of the Role of Non-State Actors in Security Governance in Nigeria: Perspectives from Vigilante and Community Policing Initiatives
Abstract
Rising cases of banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, communal conflicts, and other forms of insecurity across many parts of Nigeria have exposed the limitations of conventional state-centered security mechanisms. In response, local communities in Kogi State have increasingly relied on non-state actors such as vigilante organizations, neighborhood watch groups, hunters’ associations, and community policing structures to complement the efforts of formal security agencies. The objectives of the study are to assess the contributions of vigilante and community policing initiatives to local security governance, examine the level of cooperation between non-state actors and formal security institutions, identify the challenges confronting these initiatives, and evaluate their impact on crime prevention and community safety in Kogi State. The study utilises a content analysis methodology. Findings reveal that non-state actors play significant roles in intelligence gathering, crime detection, local surveillance, conflict resolution, and rapid response to security threats, especially in rural communities where state security presence is weak. The study also found that community policing initiatives have enhanced trust and cooperation between residents and security operatives, thereby improving grassroots participation in security management. However, challenges such as inadequate funding, lack of training, human rights abuses, poor coordination with formal security agencies, political interference, and absence of proper legal frameworks limit the effectiveness of these groups. It recommends stronger institutional support, proper regulation, capacity building, improved collaboration between state and non-state actors, and the establishment of clear operational guidelines to ensure accountability, professionalism, and sustainability in community-based security initiatives.
Keywords: Security governance, non-state actors, vigilante and community policing initiatives
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Author(s):
JEGEDE, Oluwafemi Ebenezer (PhD).
Page No : 392-415
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Comparative Evidence of Voters’ Inducement in Some Selected States Across the Globe: The Attitude is not in Colour but in Nature
Abstract
This study examines the phenomenon of vote buying across selected democracies, namely the United States, France, India, Kenya, and Nigeria, with the aim of demonstrating that electoral inducement is a global challenge rooted more in human behavior and elite interests than in race, culture, or geographical location. Drawing on the Elite Theory of Pareto, Mosca, Michels, and Mills, the paper argues that political elites frequently manipulate electoral processes through material inducements to maintain power and preserve existing political structures. The study adopts a comparative political approach and relies on secondary data from scholarly literature, reports, and documented electoral experiences. The findings reveal that vote buying has deep historical origins, dating back to the Roman Republic, and continues to manifest in both developed and developing democracies. While the United States and France have significantly reduced direct vote buying through institutional reforms, legal regulations, and stronger democratic norms, instances of electoral inducement and political patronage still occur. In contrast, India, Kenya, and Nigeria experience higher levels of vote buying, often facilitated by poverty, weak accountability mechanisms, intense electoral competition, and clientelistic political systems. The study identifies common patterns across the selected countries, including the use of material incentives to influence voter behavior and the role of socioeconomic vulnerability in increasing voter susceptibility. The paper concludes that vote buying remains a serious threat to democratic consolidation, electoral integrity, and good governance. It recommends stronger enforcement of electoral laws, increased voter education, improved political accountability, and institutional reforms aimed at reducing the influence of money in politics and promoting issue-based democratic participation.
Key words: Clientelist Political systems, Democracy, Inducement, Patronage Politics, Voters,’ and Vote Buying.
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Author(s):
Maryam Yusuf Zubairu.
Page No : 416-442
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Kinetic and Non-Kinetic Approaches to Banditry in Kaduna State: A Comparative Study of Kajuru and Kachia Local Government Areas, 2010 – 2023
Abstract
Despite hosting one of the highest concentrations of military formations in Nigeria, Kaduna State continues to record some of the country's most persistent levels of banditry, raising pressing questions about the effectiveness of existing kinetic and non-kinetic responses. This study examines the application and effectiveness of kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to banditry in Kajuru and Kachia Local Government Areas of Kaduna State between 2010 and 2023, and compares how the two approaches have played out across the two contiguous but historically distinct LGAs. Anchored on Social Conflict Theory, the study adopted a concurrent mixed-methods design, drawing quantitative data from structured questionnaires administered to 400 respondents (366 valid returns) and qualitative data from 20 semi-structured interviews with traditional rulers, security personnel, religious leaders, NGO representatives, and community leaders. Findings show that kinetic measures, though widely deployed and moderately effective in suppressing immediate attacks, are undermined by underfunding, poor inter-agency coordination, and informant infiltration, while non-kinetic measures, though rated more favourably by respondents (54.1 percent describing them as very effective, against 36.1 percent for kinetic measures), remain inconsistently funded and applied. Poverty, unemployment, weak governance, and identity-based grievances emerged as the dominant drivers of banditry, with banditry in Kajuru skewing more ethnically and politically motivated and banditry in Kachia skewing more economically motivated. Over 70 percent of respondents endorsed a hybrid model combining both approaches as the most viable pathway to sustainable peace. The study recommends the formal, coordinated integration of kinetic and non-kinetic strategies through joint LGA-level security committees, sustained funding, trust-building mechanisms between communities and security agencies, and context-sensitive capacity-building for stakeholders in both LGAs.
Keywords: banditry; kinetic approach; non-kinetic approach; Kaduna State; Social Conflict Theory; security governance
