EMPIRICAL EVALUATION OF CRIME AND SECURITY THREAT: RESPONSE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION
(A CASE STUDY OF MUSHIN LOCAL GOVERNEMENT AREA OF LAGOS STATE)
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
In contemporary Nigeria, the institutions charged with the responsibility of maintaining law, order and security of lives and properties, like its counterparts worldwide, have struggled to come to terms with high levels as well as changing patterns of crime, disorder and security threats.
Moreover, these security apparatus; Department of State Security Service (DSSS), Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Nigerian Navy Force (NNF), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and sometimes under extreme situations; The Nigerian Army have also searched for and experimented with new ways of maintaining law and order as well as securing lives and properties. Sometimes following and incorporating experiences from other countries but also developing their own indigenous style.
Odinkalu (2004) and Odekunle (1981) stressed that the capacity of Nigeria Police in monitoring and managing the social space in the nation are disappointingly sub-optimal and will continue to remain unless a new relationship of honest and genuine interdependence is built between the government and the governed and between the police as an institution of government and the civil society as those from whom government derives its legitimacy.
The ineptitude and inefficiency in the performance of duties of the institutions charged with the responsibility. Subsequently, the civil society as a result tends to find support of ethnic militias and other ‘self-help’ security outfits to provide the much-needed security for their lives and property. In recent surveys (research), attentions have been directed towards developing an effective response, intervention arid prevention mechanism against crime, disorder and security threats.
Most importantly, since the emergence of various terrorist organizations all around the world spreading their tentacles to developing countries especially in the African sub-region, symposiums and conferences on security challenges has posited that special attention should be directed to the development of strategies towards prevention and intervention by developed countries in general and developing countries in particular.
These new developments have led to the search for ways of finding appropriate solutions as a matter of priority of governments and all stakeholders. Subsequently, on the basis of previous research work on response, intervention and prevention of crime and security threats, this research work is carried out to further identify core problems leading to increase in crime, disorder and security threats, identify possible solutions as well as prospects envisaged in the area of effective prevention and intervention.
In-depth analysis of security challenges around the world, most especially in developing economies which Nigeria is among, is experiencing a prevalence of rising crime waves, criminal intentions and varying degree of delinquencies. Nigeria has been on the global crime map since 1980s.
These crimes ranges from armed robbery, murder, rape, car theft, burglary, fraud, bribery and corruption, food and drug adulteration, gambling, smuggling, human trafficking, kidnapping, drug trafficking, money laundering, internet scam, advanced fee fraud and most recently terrorism and. militia activities.
Ironically, there is no adequate will and genuine intention by government to rid the society of the criminal tendencies and manifestations, as people in the leadership positions are also guilty of corruption and crime. An example of such flagrant disregard for diligent prosecution to prevent others from committing the same crime is the case of the former Governor who was found not guilty of corruption in Nigeria, but has since been jailed in the United Kingdom for money laundering crime. The trial of many former Governors for corruption while in office has been going about 8 years with no end in sight, while they have moved on to other political offices while the trial drags on without diligent prosecution.
It is significantly important to note that, the development of a society largely depends on the rate of crime. If the crime rate is high, it could scare away or discourage investors. Also the safety of lives and property is an issue of priority in any given society must be of paramount importance not only to the security officials but citizenry must also be patriotically involved. This is because, crime is a challenge that all and sundry must confront headlong for a stable and safe society.
Dambazzau (2007) defined crime control as a pattern of attitudes and behaviours directed both at reducing the threat of crime and enhancing the sense of safety and security to positively influence the quality of life, and to develop environments where crime cannot flourish.
The control, intervention and prevention of crime, therefore, deals with the current challenges and rests on the unbiased empirical analysis of crime, disorder and security threats with the aim of developing proactive response, intervention and prevention mechanisms.
According to Okunola (2002), crime prevention basically involves the disruption of mechanisms, which cause crime events. In other words, the central question to crime prevention is how to disrupt the causes of crime. Crime prevention is a pattern of attitudes and behaviours directed at both reducing the threat of crime and enhancing the sense of safety and security to positively influence the quality of life and to develop environments where crime cannot flourish.
Although various factors militating against effective crime prevention, control and response has being highlighted by various research literatures, research gap still exists on the in-depth study on how appropriate measures of response, intervention and prevention through the criminologists perspective can drastically reduce crime rate and create a secured environment for lives and properties.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Weak Security system results from inadequate equipment for the security arm of government, both in weaponry and training. This is in addition to poor attitudinal and behavioural disposition of security personnel. In many cases, security personnel assigned to deal with given security situations lack the expertise and equipment to handle the situations in a way to prevent them from occurring. And even when these exist, some personnel get influenced by ethnic, religious or communal sentiment and are easily swallowed by their personal interest to serve their people, rather than the nation.
Despite these efforts, the level of insecurity in the country is still high. In addition, Nigeria has consistently ranked low in the Global Peace Index, signifying a worsened state of insecurity in the country.
The efforts of government have not yielded enough positive result. With the lingering security challenges and the inability of the security apparatus of the government to guarantee safety and security in the country, the question that borders everyone in Nigeria today is that œcan there be security.
The foundations of institutional framework in Nigeria are very shaky and have provoked a deterioration of state governance and democratic accountability, thus, paralyzing the existing set of constraints including the formal and legitimate rules nested in the hierarchy of social order. The state of insecurity in Nigeria is greatly a function of government failure, or can be linked to government failure. This is manifested by the incapacity of government to deliver public services and to provide for basic needs of the masses. The lack of basic necessities by the people in Nigeria has created a pool of frustrated people who are ignited easily by any event to be violent.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of study was to examine the empirical evaluation of crime and security threat: response intervention and prevention. The objectives of the study were to:
- Examine relationship between crime disorder and security threat response and protection of life and property.
- Find out crime disorder and security threat response could influence the socio-cultural and communal value system of the business environment.
- Observed if crime disorder and security threat response could influence inequalities and unfairness in the business environment.
- Examine the relationship between crime disorder and security threat response and Social irresponsibility of Businesses.
1.4 Research Questions
The following research questions were raised in the study as follows:
- Is there any relationship between crime disorder and security threat response and protection of life and property?
- To what extent will crime disorder and security threat response influence the socio-cultural and communal value system of the business environment?
- How will crime disorder and security threat response influence pervasive material inequalities and unfairness in the business environment?
- Is there any relationship between crime disorder and security threat response and Social irresponsibility of Businesses?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses were formulated and tested as follows:
Ho: Strategies implemented appropriately do not result in effective response, intervention and prevention of crime and security threats.
H1: Strategies implemented appropriately result in effective response, intervention and prevention of crime and security threats.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study would be of much benefit to the entire business environment and other educational institutions and industries in Nigeria with regard to developing effective security around the business environment.
The study will also be of great importance to the public sector in the country and in achieving peace and unity in Nigeria business environment. This study would be of much benefit to the community, religious body, government entire school administrators of secondary schools and other educational institutions and industries in Nigeria.
The outcome of this study will facilitate good governance, peace and security in Nigeria business environment. The outcome of study will aid effective leadership styles that will promote healthy business environment and security in Nigeria. The outcome of study will aid availability and utilization of natural resources that will promote security protection in Nigeria business environment.
Schools and institution output would also increase since teachers and workers are expected to put in their best, after being motivated, thus promote the profit margin of the organizations and academic excellence in schools.
Furthermore, the whole society will enjoy relative peace as teachers, other workers and employers clash would have been curtailed as a result of the good treatment the former would received from the latter.
1.7 Scope and Limitation of the Study
The examined empirical evaluation of crime and security threat: response intervention and prevention. This study will particularly cover the business environment in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos and focus mainly on the area. This is because the researcher does not have sufficient time and money to conduct a state wide study on all the Local Government area of Lagos State, let alone extending same to other local government areas in Lagos State.
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms
Threat: Threat statement of an intention to inflict pain, injury, damage, or other hostile action on someone in retribution for something done or not done.
Security: Security is broadly viewed as freedom from danger or threats to an individual or a nation. It is the ability to protect and defect oneself, be it an individual or a nation its cherished values and legitimate interests and the enhancement of wellbeing
Business environment: Business environment is the sum total of all external and internal factors that influence a business.
Peace: Peace is a condition in which there is no social conflict and individuals and groups are able to meet their needs, aspirations and expectations. Peace in this sense can be explained from the perspective of structural functionalism.
Conflict: This refers to war, revolution or other struggles, which may involve the use of force as in term of armed conflict.
Security Management: It relates to the physical safety of buildings, people and products, as well as information, network and telecommunications systems protection.
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