SECURITY CHALLENGES IN NIGERIA AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT A CASE STUDY OF ANAMBRA STATE

SECURITY CHALLENGES IN NIGERIA AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT A CASE STUDY OF ANAMBRA STATE

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Background of the study

Security concerns are taken very seriously all throughout the world. It is widely acknowledged as one of a state's most basic tasks. Security has always been an important aspect of human existence and sustenance, and it may be described as the absence of threats or violence that could result in the loss of lives or property. To put it another way, security refers to a situation in which citizens are safeguarded against threats to their lives and livelihoods, such as bodily harm, disease, unemployment, and human rights violations, regardless of where they are in a sovereign nation. A country cannot flourish unless it first seeks to ensure human security (Ito, 2013). This is because human resources are vital to every country's growth and development, yet individuals cannot be productive if they are afraid. As a result, human security is the most important responsibility of any nation and each port of entry. According to Achumba, Ighomereho, and Akpor-Robaro (2013), insecurity is the polar opposite of security, and it affects human life and existence. It is a condition of being subjected to any sort of abuse, including fear, threat, danger, molestation, intimidation, harassment, and other forms of abuse. It's a lack of security or protection. As a result, insecurity, according to Achumba et'al, includes danger, deathtraps, uncertainty, a lack of fortification, and a lack of security that exposes one to risk or the possibility of injury.

Surprisingly, security difficulties in Nigeria are a major concern that has impeded Nigeria's industrialisation and long-term growth, as well as those of Africa as a whole. Although widely regarded as Africa's "giant," Nigeria has seen unprecedented levels of insecurity as a result of Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram insurgencies, seccessionist groups, armed robbery attacks, kidnapping, political/religious crisis, murder, child abduction, and, most recently, unidentified gunmen attacks dominating in South East Nigeria. Vehicle damage, the burning of churches, police stations, schools, hospitals, clinics, and stores, the attacking of army camps and residential residences, and the blockage of roadways are all examples of criminal actions in these places (Okonkwo, Ndubuisi & Thresa 2015).

As a result of these issues, security has become a critical concern, resulting in the allocation of the country's vast, limited resources to the protection of lives and property, as well as the government diverting resources intended for development to security. More importantly, commercial operations are disrupted as people choose to stay indoors for fear of their lives, all of which has thwarted the country's proclivity for socio-cultural tranquillity, hampered international commerce, and hampered the country's long-term growth.

1.2 Statement of the problem

The labyrinth in which this country has found itself due to security concerns is nearly unquantifiable. The regular incidence of bomb blasts, unidentified gunmen assaults, kidnappings, and killings planned by renowned religious extremists in the north, resource control agitation organizations in the central belt, and separatist groups in the south has taken on a worrying dimension. Police services, unidentified gunmen and community militias, farmer and herder groups warring over land, and cults were the key protagonists in the security situation in Anambra state in 2020. In Anambra state, ACLED recorded a total of 42 security events (8 battles, 22 incidences of violence against civilians, and 12 riots), with 26 people killed. Awka North LGA had the largest number of security events, while Ogbaru LGA had the most deaths. There were 18 attacks and four abductions among the 22 episodes of violence against people (Nigeria Watch, Database 2021). According to security data supplied by Crime Guard, a security monitoring firm, between 2020 and May 2021, no region in the country was spared from some type of instability in a three-day event in the country that cost numerous lives and property and forced the closure of several companies (Business Day 2021). As a consequence of the country's instability, a large number of firms and corporations are shuttering operations in the north and fleeing to neighboring African nations to avoid the loss of lives and property. And the few remaining businesses are run on a shoestring budget. Insecurity in the country has a negative impact on foreign direct investment and company activity, as well as business confidence, since many companies are hesitant to set up shop in certain sections of the country. Despite the fact that there have been several studies on insecurity, none or very few have concentrated on South-East Nigeria; thus, the researchers want to explore the security concerns and consequences for commercial operations in Nigeria with a focus on Anambra State.

1.3 Objective of the Study

Research objectives are just as useful as they are in most other aspects of life. “Research objectives provide the researcher a wonderful feeling of aim and direction,” according to Torty (2021). The study's overall purpose is to  examine the security challenges in Nigeria and the implications for business activities and sustainable development: a case study of Anambra State. Specifically, the study seeks:

1. To examine the nature of insecurity prevalent in Anambra State
2. To determine the extent at which security breaches are prevalent in Anambra State Nigeria.
3. To ascertain the causes on security challenges in Anambra State Nigeria.
4. To investigate the if there is any effect of insecurity on business activities   Anambra State Nigeria.

1.4 Research Question

Research questions provide structure and direction to a study in scientific inquiry. As a result, according to Torty (2021), "research questions should truly constitute an enlargement of the research problem."  The following research questions were posed in accordance with the study's objectives:

1. What is  the nature of insecurity prevalent in Anambra State?
2. What is the extent at which security breaches are prevalent in Anambra State Nigeria?
3. What are the causes on security challenges in Anambra State Nigeria?
4. Does the security challenge in Anambra State have any significant impact  on business activities  and sustainable development?

1.5 Significance of the study

The findings of this study will be relevant to policy makers, governments, security operatives and northern residents, and they will add to the body of expertise. For the government and policy makers, the findings from the study will equip them with a handful of information on how to tackle the rising insecurity in the South-East Nigeria. This would greatly reduce the crisis that has exacerbated the resurgence of communal clashes, attacks from secessionist groups, ethnic militias and insurgents in Nigeria. It will always encourage the government to adopt dialogue instead of violence in the management and resolution of conflicts and differences between the state and the various ethnic nationalities. The study will contribute to the existing body of literature and give an opportunity for further research in related fields. More so, students, writers, and academics who are involved in conducting more studies in this area may find the analysis extremely useful.

 

1.6 Research Hypothesis

The research is guided by the following hypothesis.

HO1:There is no significant effect of insecurity on business activities and sustainable development  in Anambra  State.

HI1: There is a significant effect of insecurity on business activities and sustainable development  in Anambra  State.

1.7 Scope of the study

The scope of this study borders on  the security challenges in Nigeria and the implications for business activities and sustainable development:  The study will further discuss  the nature of insecurity,  the extent at which security breaches are prevalent  and the causes of  security challenges in   Nigeria. However the study will be delimited to South-East nigeria with reference to Anambra State.

1.8 Limitation of the study

Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the insecurity in South-East owing to the nature of the discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. More so, the choice of the sample size was limited  to Anambra State.  as few respondent were selected to answer the research instrument hence findings of the study cannot be generalize to other  corporate organization. However, despite the constraint encountered during the  research, all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.

1.9 Theoretical Framework

A theoretical framework includes concepts and, accompanied by their definitions and reference to pertinent scholarly literature, existing theories used for a particular study. This demonstrates an understanding of theories and concepts that are relevant to the topic of a research paper and that relate to the broader areas of knowledge being considered (Labaree, 2009). This study adopts the Frustration agression theory and Democratic Peace Theory

Frustration–aggression theory ( Miller etal. in 1941 and Leonard Berkowitz in 1969)

  Frustration–aggression speculation is a hypothesis of hostility. This hypothesis was propounded by John Dollard, Neal Miller, Doob, Mowrer, and Sears in year 1939, and then created by Miller etal. in 1941 and Leonard Berkowitz in 1969. Aggression is as a result of hindering or preventing one’s attempt in achieving a goal (Whitley, Bernard, Kite, Mary, 2010).  The frustration–aggression hypothesis attempts to provide a description about the causes and reasons of  brutality in  an  area. The  theory  was  developed  by John  Dollard  and his  team  mate,  stated  that frustration leads to  aggression, but when the origin of frustration cannot be summon to contest, the aggression gets detach onto an irreproachable target and thereby causing unrest in the community. There are many examples of this, If workers are beenunder paid, or they are not paid regularly, they may go home and dissipate this anger and frustration ,out on their family. For instance, if government takes  over  the  property  of  an  individual  without  any  compensation  or  reward,  this  may  lead  to frustration  and  gradually  aggravate  to  aggression.  This  theory  is  also  used  to  explain  riots  and revolutions. The theorist maintained that riots and revolutions are caused by poorer and more deprived sections of society who may express their bottled up frustration and anger through violence. It was clearly stated in the theory that “aggressive behaviour is not motivated by genuine hostility, but by frustration (Malici, 2007).”

 Besides,  this  hypothesis  brings  up  the  issue  if  hostility  is natural. Every one of the discourses on the hypothesis suggest that "there is no smoke without flame" and that "a furious man is an eager man" (Aminu, 2013). Frustration-aggression theory implies that “aggressive behaviour” is not motivated  by “genuine hostility”, but  by “frustration” (Malici, 2007). Thus the rising insecurity in south-east could be lingering because of the frustration among unemployed youth who are not satisfied with governance and the nascent democracy that has not lived upto expection of the masses.

 Democratic Peace Theory by ( (Doyle, 1998)

  Democratic Peace Theory to explain the Security challenges in Nigerian. According to this theory, security largely depends on encouraging liberal institutions to discharge their responsibilities creditably; and a security policy must have as its long-term the spread of liberalism (Doyle, 1998). Therefore, the route to peace is to encourage democratic system, the universal respect for human rights and the development of civil society. But such conclusion depends largely on untroubled and robust correlation between the democratic nature of a state and peaceful inclination. Thus, the democratic peace theory assumes that liberal states do not fight wars against other liberal states. This theory was first enunciated in a keynote article by Michael Doyle in Journal of Philosophy and Public Affairs (Doyle, 1998). Thus, Doyle argued that there was a difference in liberal practice towards liberal societies and liberal practice towards non-liberal societies. From security point of view, the recommendations of democratic peace theory are clear.

1.10 Definition of  Terms

Insecurity: insecurity entails lack of protection from crime (being unsafe) and lack of freedom from psychological harm (unprotected from emotional stress resulting from paucity of assurance that an individual is accepted, has opportunity and choices to fulfill his or her own potentials including freedom from fear.

Business activities:  Business activities refer to all the economic activities, whether directly or indirectly related to making the goods and services available to the consumer and ensure profit earning through customer satisfaction.

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