POVERTY, INSECURITY AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: AN OVERVIEW

Abstract

Nigeria is today confronted with the challenge of combating serious internal security challenges including Boko Haram insurgency in the North-eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa and the Niger Delta militancy in the South-south geo-political zone comprising of Bayelsa and Rivers. There are also threats posed by farmers and Fulani herdsmen clashes across the country as well as kidnappings, ethno-religious crises, political assassinations and so on. Amidst these threats of insecurity is the staggering number of people living in poverty in poverty especially, among the youth population. Using majorly documentary sources of data, this paper argues that the heightened rate of social insecurity especially, among the youth is largely responsible for the increase in crime rate in the country with adverse consequences on national development. The paper identifies the effects of poverty and insecurity on national development to include unsafe political and business environment for economic investment; loss of human and financial capital that would have been invested for national development; and limited capacity to harness the resources that will improve living conditions. The paper recommends that approaches to poverty reduction in Nigeria should be rejigged to focus more on the provision of basic infrastructure and services rather giving cash to the less privilege; greater investment in human development especially in the areas of education; shelter and social services; strict enforcement of arms and ammunitions control laws; and transparency and accountability in governance.