THE EFFECT OF BANDITRY ON SECURITY OF ACADEMIC STAFFS OF UNIVERSITIES IN NIGERIA (CASE STUDY OF UNIABUJA)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Banditry can be referred to the instances of armed robbery or linked violent crimes, such as abduction, livestock rustling, and hamlet or market invasions. It sinvolves the use of force, or threat to that effect, to frighten a person or a group of individuals in order to rob, rape or kill (Okoli and Okpaleke 2014). Economic or political motives inspire banditry. (Babalola, 2009) expressed that banditry denotes incidence or prevalence of armed robbery or violent crime. It entails the use of force, or threat to that effect, to frighten a person with the aim to rob rape or kill. Banditry is a crime against humans. It has been a prevalent genre of crime, as well as causing violence in contemporary society.

The incidence of banditry in Nigeria seems to have been high and rising throughout the years. According to (Babalola, 2009), ‘‘crime against persons, including murder, rape, and robbery has escalated in magnitude and viciousness in Nigeria since 1999”. This has been proved by the pervasive tendency of armed robbery in the nation, which in effect parallels the Africa-wide experience. Car snatching, house and office robbery, and way-laying of travelers are all typical kinds of armed robbery in African countries. Since the beginning of the African crises in the 1980s, their prevalence has been increasing.

According to (Kpela, 2005), the cases of  kidnapping has been on the steady rise in Nigeria with the kidnap of the chibok girls setting the trend. The terrifying kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014 by the Islamist extremist organization Boko Haram stunned the globe. The sheer number of children abducted, as well as the ease with which Boko Haram carried out its raid, was shocking and provoked international anger. However, a recent spate of mass school abductions makes the Chibok girls' ordeal less of an exception. More than 800 pupils have been abducted in mass abductions at four boarding schools in northwest Nigeria, far from Boko Haram's heartland in the northeast, in the last three months. School kidnappings and other types of banditry has been a point of concern and a threat to the academic world especially the academic staff of Universities (Kpela, 2005).

According to Ozurumba & Amasuomo (2015), academic staff refers to a group of persons who work at an institute and conduct administrative responsibilities. Accountants, assistants, counsellors, a secretary, an office boy, a security team, a clerk, a registrar, and a dean are among the staff members. It also includes those who assist with maintenance and other tasks within the institute.

Staff members at educational institutions often have a variety of educational backgrounds and duties. The administration has the greatest level of accountability. These individuals are in charge of the entire establishment's management. To assist these individuals, a number of persons are hired as junior staff who follow directions from higher-ups in order to make the institute's operations more efficient and manageable. The working hours of staff personnel are more consistent than those of faculty members. Staff personnel are usually the first to arrive at the institute.

 The significance of education has been sufficiently debated in several forums and diverse publications (Nwanne- Nzewunwa, 2009; Ojukwu and Nwanma, 2015 and Ojukwu and Onuoha, 2016; Ossat, 2012). In recognition of the importance of child education, the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria declared in its 1999 constitution the right of every Nigerian child to education, regardless of gender, tribe, religion, or race. It stands to reason that the high ideal of education enshrined in the Federal Republic of Nigeria's constitution would be achieved in a tranquil and conducive educational atmosphere. The lofty purposes of education, according to Lehr (2004), can never be realized in a vacuum. They would be accomplished in a welcoming and tranquil educational atmosphere. If there is a sense of insecurity both inside and outside the school, both students and instructors are likely to be discouraged, which may impair kids' academic performance.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

(Nkpodia 2001) expressed that in today's Nigerian education, insecurity is a major cause of worry. Insecurity at tertiary institutions especially the university is a societal issue that cannot be overstated and overlooked due to the far-reaching implications and dire effects for education, the economy, and society in general. It is a problem that Nigerians must address seriously. Efforts should be made to build a strong, just, democratic, and equal society. Although the problem of insecurity has piqued the public's curiosity throughout the years, it appears that interest in resolving the insecurity equation is decreasing, and even when the subject is addressed, little focus appears to be placed on the gruesome socioeconomic, political, and spiritual ramifications.

According to (Babalola 2009), insecurity is a serious concern affecting mankind today. Insecurity challenges are so ubiquitous that they dominate the news in every mass communication medium throughout the world. Of recent, according to (Idoko 2021) as cited in tribuneonlineng.org, suspected gunmen broke into the staff quarters of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) and kidnapped a professor of Economics, Obansa Joseph, two of his children, and other university workers whose names have yet to be established. Cases like this and the incessant harassment of academic staff of universites by bandits has been a difficult bone to chew by the academic world and Nigeria as a whole.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main of this study is to examine the effects of Banditry on Security of Academic Staffs of Universities in Nigeria. Other objectives of this study are:

1.        To identify the causes of banditry in Nigeria

2.        To examine the impacts of banditry on the academic staff of universities

3.        To discuss the effects of banditry on the security of students in tertiary institutions

4.        To find the relationship between banditry and the rise of insecurity in Nigerian Universites.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1)        What are the causes of banditry in Nigeria?

2)        What are the impacts of banditry on the academic staff of Universities?

3)        What are the effects of banditry on students of tertiary institutions?

4)        What is the relationship between banditry and the rise of insecurity in Nigerian Universities?

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of immense help to the staff of Universities as they will be able to know the effects of banditry on the university, will also be of importance to the students as they will see the results of banditry on the society and be deterred from it. This research will also help concerned institutions to effect changes where necessary and to put laws in place that will help curtail banditry and its components and possibly, eradicate it from the society.

Finally, this study will serve as an existing material for future reference and further research.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study focuses on identifying the effects of Banditry on Security of Academic Staffs of Universities in Nigeria. It will also find out the effects of banditry on the security of students in tertiary institutions.

 This research will further look the impacts of banditry on academic staff. University of Abuja staff shall serve as enrolled participants of this study.

1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study was done and carried out  only in the University of Abuja and as such the results of this research cannot be used in any other University in Nigeria and the world as a whole as the effects of banditry on Security of Academic Staffs of Universities  differ due to geographical position, cultural belief and social tendencies.

This study is not proffering solutions on the rise of banditry and this serves as a limitation of this study

This study will only be focusing on academic staff only and no other class of people.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Banditry: is a type of organized crime committed by outlaws typically involving threat or the use of violence.

Security: the state of being free from danger or threat

Academic staff: staff who are engaged to undertake teaching research and scholarship

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