Community Insecurity and its Threat to Human, Economic and Political Security in Nigeria

Abstract

The unprecedented spread of insecurity in the West African region is alarming and mind-boggling to the citizens, local and international communities. The spate of community insecurity cuts across Mali, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria with its manifestation in insurgency and terrorism, secessionist movements, religious conflicts, urban crimes, ethnic violence, banditry, abduction, mass killings, suicide bombing, rape, disruption of properties, herdsmen and anti-democratic activities. However, the phenomenon is more evident in Nigeria in the last fifteen years as new dimensions of insecurity with more devastating implications are emerging. Community insecurity poses human, economic, and political security questions among scholars and policy-makers alike in the global environment. The attempt to solve the questions has culminated to the adoption of different security strategies ranging from self-help security arrangements and community policing at local level, to joint security task force at state and central levels in Nigeria. The complexity of issues like social inequality, marginalization, weak institutions, human rights abuse, bad governance, poverty, globalization, militarization of migrants, constitutional abuse, and widespread corruption are very germane to the contextualization of community insecurity. The aim of this study is to interrogate the emerging threats of community insecurity to human, economic, and political security in Nigeria. The researcher utilized qualitative method or library technique to collect data. The paper submitted that security and development are mutually dependent and not exclusive. It also submitted that engagement and stronger link between the security provider and local communities should exist.