SECURITY AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN CONTEMPORARY NIGERIA: ISSUES, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

Nigeria is a country that has been plagued by various forms of insecurity, including terrorism, insurgency and communal clashes. These security challenges have hindered the country’s development, resulting in economic and social setbacks. This study therefore examines the relationship between security and national development in Nigeria. The study adopts the frustration-aggression theory to explain some of the causes of insecurity in Nigeria, such as corruption, poverty and unemployment. The relevant data for this study werecollected from secondary sources. The finding of the study reveals that insecurity has a negative impact on national development in Nigeria, affecting economic growth, social order, and political stability. The study identified factors attributed to the rising state of insecurity in Nigeria to include bad governance, unemployment and poverty, porous borders and arms proliferation, weak and overburdened security apparatus, defective intelligence gathering and coordination, and weak judicial system. The study argues that there is a strong relationship between security and national development in Nigeria, as there can be no development without security and there can be no security without development. Development can only take place when there is adequate security, while development initiatives can also contribute to addressing the root causes of insecurity in the country. Therefore, it is crucial for the government to address insecurity in the country to promote national development. To this end, the study recommends good governance, improving the capacity and effectiveness of security forces and intelligencegathering, community policing, strong and efficient justice system, and provision of economic opportunities.