THE IMPACTS OF SECURITY ON THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF NIGERIA : A CASE STUDY OF BORNO STATE

Terrorism in Borno State.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Nigeria is one of the relatively secured nations in West African sub-region. In recent times, this endowed nation suddenly metamorphosed into an abode of serial bombing, hostage taking, armed robbery, cold-blooded killings and ethno-religious conflicts traceable to militant groups with conflicting ideological, political and religious agenda. 

Among these militant groups are Niger-Delta insurgents, Campus cults, Bakassi Boys, Armed robbers, O’odua People’s Congress, Boko Haram et cetera.

In Nigeria, economic, religious and political grievances as given birth to violence and crimes that are currently threatening her existence and unity. Born of colonial origins, Nigeria is a mixture of ethno linguistic groups and religious traditions.

This diversity has historically posed a daunting challenge to governance and stability in Nigeria, considering that many people feel politically and economically excluded by the extremely weak and corrupt nation.

‘’Violence in Nigeria is not a new phenomenon, considering that even the 1959 independence elections organized by the departing colonial authorities were marked by violence and various crimes.

 What have changed over the years, however, are the frequency, ramifications and intensity of insecurity in Nigeria. Recently, mass communicators in their modern outfits have discussed the possibility that there may be no single solution to this problem.

The resultant loss of lives, rising budgetary spending for security and destruction of valuable government facilities portend devastating consequences for sustainable economic growth in the country (Adebakin & Raimi, 2012).

These are the elements that must be carefully studied, understood and addressed in order to improve security in Nigeria.

1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Nigeria is a populous Black African nation, blessed with an intimidating population of over 150 million people, with wide geographical spread across thirty-six (36) states and a federal capital territory (Akhemonkhan et al., 2012).

 Nigeria is part of the NEKS countries; an acronym for Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya and South Africa, described by analysts as nations with huge untapped markets for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa (Alkali, 2008). At independence and several years after, the country was perceived as a relatively secured nation in the West African sub-region because of its steady economic growth and leadership role in the Economic Community of African States (ECOWAS).

However, the sudden discovery of crude oil truncated the nation’s steady drive towards sustainable economic development (SED), as the focus of Federal government shifted from commercial agriculture to crude oil exploration and exploitation (Dode, 2011).

According to Montelos (2011), a total of $700 billion oil revenues had been accumulated by the Nigerian government since independence. Unfortunately, the massive oil revenues have added little to the living standard of Nigerians.

He asserted that 85 per cent of oil revenues earned overtime is shared among the influential political elites, who constitute only one per cent of the population, with the possibility that 40% or more of the national wealth accumulated overtime might have been stolen by the ruling elites, technocrats and policy bureaucrats (Ibid.).

The picture of mismanagement of the nation’s oil wealth as painted above, justifies the assertion that Nigeria is experiencing economic growth, but no sustainable economic development (Ajaegbu, 2012).

While the ruling elites, technocrats and their cronies were busy stealing, embezzling and sharing the nation’s oil wealth, the age long peace and security that the nation enjoyed started waning because of threats to national security orchestrated by militant groups with conflicting socio-economic and political agenda(Albert, 2005).

 The militant groups whose antics and activities portend serious danger to national security in Nigeria are: Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Bakassi Boys,  O’odua People’s Congress (OPC), Student Cults and Boko Haram sect (Rotimi, 2005; The Economist, 2008; Akhemonkhan et. al, 2012).

The emergence of militancy in Nigeria fueled ethno-religious crises in Jos, vandalisation of oil installations in the South-South, massive robbery in South-West, kidnapping inthe South-East and heinous killing/bombing of innocent Nigerians in Northern Nigeria (Daily Independent Online, 2010).

 Other manifestations of threat to national security include drug trafficking, human trafficking, human sacrifice, ritual killing, sectarian violence, political violence, communal strife, natural disasters and pervasive acts of normlessness (Darmer, 2004).

Evidence that lends credence to the fact that security situation is nose-diving in Nigeria can be found in the 2010 survey report published by the Business Environment in Nigerian States, which highlights the deplorable security situation in Nigeria along with other environment components. For 2007, the survey rated national security in Nigeria 62.69 per cent, as against 49.49 per cent in 2010 report.

This represents a significant fall in national security rating by 13.2 per cent (BECANS-II, 2010).

From the foregoing, threat to Nigeria’s internal security is real, as the international community has declared Nigeria a failing state in several circles as well as in policy papers.

 For instance, the Fund for Peace (FFP) in its 2012 report ranked Nigeria as one of the top 10 failed states in Africa and 14thin the world because of growing wave of insecurity and endemic violence (Agha, 2012).

1.3 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Conceptually, crime can be seen as an infraction of both the basic principles of law and order and the norms of civilized behavior. No society is immune from this social problem but what differs is the frequency and magnitude of the situation and the response mechanisms to address it.

As part of human community, Nigeria is currently caught in the web of crime dilemma, manifesting in the convulsive upsurge of both violent and non-violent crimes. But the most alarming and terrifying is the present escalation of violent crimes and the barbarity, lethality and trauma the perpetrators unleash on the hapless citizenry across the length and breadth of the country.

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