Rising Crime and Insecurity: Nigeria Faces an Alarming Crisis Amid Policy Gaps
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently released its Crime Experienced and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) 2024 report, revealing a staggering 51.88 million crime cases across the nation between May 2023 and April 2024. The findings highlight Nigeria’s escalating security challenges, inadequate law enforcement, and persistent socio-economic vulnerabilities that undermine public safety.
Shocking Statistics and Growing Fear
The report exposes an alarming trend: victims paid an estimated N2.23 trillion in ransoms over the past year, with an average payout of N2.67 million per incident. The North-West recorded the highest number of crime cases, followed closely by the North-Central and South-East regions. Surprisingly, rural areas reported more incidents (26.52 million) than urban centers (25.36 million), highlighting the vulnerability of remote communities.
Despite these figures, less than half of home robbery victims (36.3%) reported incidents to the police, citing distrust in law enforcement and skepticism about effective intervention. For individual crimes like phone theft—Nigeria’s most reported crime—90% of victims approached the police, yet only half expressed satisfaction with the response. This dissatisfaction reflects a systemic failure to provide timely and effective justice.
Sexual offenses, another deeply concerning statistic, affected approximately 1.4 million Nigerians. However, only 22.7% of victims reported these crimes, underscoring societal stigma, fear of reprisal, and lack of confidence in the justice system.
Rural Neglect and Vigilante Dependency
The report paints a grim picture for rural areas, where residents are increasingly reliant on vigilante groups rather than formal security forces. This dependency raises questions about state capacity and the government’s failure to ensure equitable security infrastructure.
In rural Nigeria, perceptions of vulnerability are particularly high, with 13% of residents believing they are likely to be victims of crime within the next year, compared to 7% in urban areas. This disparity highlights the urgent need for rural-focused security strategies.
Policy Gaps in Tackling Banditry and Insurgency
The Senate’s recent discussions on escalating banditry in regions like Gombe State illustrate the disconnect between policymaking and ground realities. Senator Anthony Siyako Yaro’s motion, citing the destruction of lives and livelihoods in Billiri Local Government Area, underscores the inadequacy of current measures.
Despite constitutional guarantees of life and freedom of movement, the federal and state governments have failed to curb the activities of bandits and armed herders, whose attacks destabilize communities and disrupt economic activities.
Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau acknowledged that the North-West has long suffered from daily security crises. His warning about the spread of such violence to the Northeast reflects a growing concern that the government’s inaction is allowing insecurity to metastasize across regions.
The Ranching Debate: A Missed Opportunity?
In a bid to address herder-farmer conflicts, Senator Seriake Dickson advocated the establishment of modern, federally-funded ranches. While this proposal has merit—offering a sustainable solution to disputes over grazing and land use—it has yet to be implemented.
Dickson emphasized the economic potential of ranching, arguing that it could transform livestock management, boost local economies, and foster peace. However, without actionable plans or timelines, these ideas risk remaining mere rhetoric.
Urgent Need for Structural Reforms
The lack of confidence in law enforcement, as highlighted in the CESPS report, is symptomatic of deeper structural issues. Emergency response times remain suboptimal, with only 33.1% of households reporting security agencies arriving within 30 minutes. This inefficiency fuels public reliance on informal security mechanisms and perpetuates cycles of violence.
Furthermore, the government’s failure to regulate movement and economic activities under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) treaty has exacerbated criminal activities. As Senator Adams Oshiomhole aptly noted, the absence of effective border controls allows transnational criminals to exploit Nigeria’s porous frontiers.
Moving Forward: Recommendations for Change
To address these crises, Nigeria must adopt a multi-pronged approach:
- Strengthen Law Enforcement: The government must invest in modernizing police operations, ensuring swift responses, and rebuilding public trust through accountability and transparency.
- Enhance Rural Security: Targeted initiatives, such as deploying more security personnel and resources to underserved rural areas, are critical.
- Implement Sustainable Ranching Solutions: Federal support for ranching could mitigate herder-farmer conflicts while promoting economic development.
- Regulate Transnational Activities: Stricter oversight of cross-border movements and ECOWAS treaty enforcement is essential to curb criminal exploitation.
- Empower Communities: Encourage collaboration between state agencies and local communities to create localized, inclusive security solutions.
The findings from the CESPS report and the Senate’s deliberations highlight the urgency of these reforms. Without decisive action, Nigeria risks deeper socio-economic instability and a worsening security crisis.
Reference
Rising Crime and Insecurity: Nigeria Faces an Alarming Crisis Amid Policy Gaps