The Influence of Unemployment on Youths Involvement in Kidnapping in Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The primary objective of this study is to assess the influence of unemployment on youths involvement in kidnapping. Other objectives of this study are:
- To examine the prevalence of youth involvement in kidnapping
- To determine the factors that leads to the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria.
- To ascertain if unemployment increases the rate of youth involvement in kidnapping
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
Precisely, the chapter will be considered in three sub-headings:
- Conceptual Framework
- Theoretical Framework
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Concept Of Unemployment
There is a need to define who an unemployed person is. When we refer to someone as unemployed, most people have in mind a state consistent with the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) definition; namely, a person who does not have a job, is available for work and is actively looking for work. More precisely, “unemployed workers” are those who are currently not working but are willing and able to work for pay, currently available to work and have actively searched for work. (ILO, 2017).
Individuals who are actively seeking for jobs must make the effort to be in contact with an employer, have job interviews, send out resumes, submit applications, and respond to advertisements or other means of active job search. Simply looking at advertisements and not responding will not qualify the individual as actively seeking job placements. Hornby (2020) defines unemployment as “the state of a number of people not having a job; the number of people without a job; the state of not having a job” The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary describes the unemployed as one without a job although able to work. Unemployment occurs when individuals are jobless but willing and able to work at the going wage rate. The consensus in these definitions is that the person is willing to work, able to work, actively looking for a job, but cannot get a job.
According to National Bureau of Statistics (2009, 2010), the national unemployment rates for Nigeria between 2000 and 2009 showed that the number of unemployed persons constituted 13.1% in 2000; 13.6% in 2001; 12.6% in 2002; 14.8% in 2003; 13.4% in 2004; 11.9% in 2005; 13.7% in 2006; 14.6% in 2007; 14.9% in 2008 and 19.4% in 2009. As regards the age group, the report shows that as at March 2009 in Nigeria, for persons between the 15 and 24 years, 41.6% were unemployed; persons between 25 and 44 years, 17% were unemployed. Furthermore, for those with only primary education, 14.8% were unemployed, and for those with only secondary education, 23.8% were unemployed; while for those with tertiary education, 21.3% were unemployed. For those who never attended school and those below primary education, 21.0 and 22.3% were unemployed respectively.
For Awogbenle and Iwuamadi (2021) and Okafor (2020), the statistics from Manpower Board and National Bureau of Statistics showed that Nigeria has a youth population of 80 million, representing over 60% of the total population of the country. Also 64 million are unemployed, while 1.6 million are under-employed. The 1990-2000 data on youth unemployment showed that the largest group of the unemployed is the secondary school graduates. Also, 40% of the unemployment rate is among the urban youth aged between 20-24 and 31% of the rate is among those aged 15-19. Also, two-thirds of the urban unemployed range from 15-24 years. For Osobu (2019), despite achieving an inspiring growth rate of 7% per annum since 2001, Nigeria remains crippled with massive unemployment levels that continue to exact a considerable toll on its socioeconomic prospects.
Credible data on this count is lacking for most of sub-Saharan Africa, but Abuja concedes that 70% of the population was jobless as recently as 2007. The Federal Government has since revised the figure to just below 29% in accordance with new World Bank findings. Although the percentage drop seems incredible, it still translates to more than 40 million jobless in a country of 148 million. The implications have been especially harsh for Nigerian youths, an estimated 95% of whom are without a source of livelihood. These figures only reconfirm the perception that high growth rates have failed to improve Nigeria‟s entrenched macro-economic deficiencies, born out of decades of failed governance, mismanagement and conflict. The downstream effects of youth unemployment are fuelling rapid alienation and social unrest across the Nigerian landscape, the immediate symptoms of which are evident in the palpable rise in organized crime, armed insurgency, vandalism and drug trafficking. Human development indices for Africa‟s second largest economy continue to be appalling despite the country‟s bountiful resources, escalating oil fortunes and a vigorous reforms programme initiated after the return of democracy in 1999.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of two hundred (200) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only one hundred and fifty (150) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 150 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
In this study, our focus was on the the influence of unemployment on youths involvement in kidnapping in Nigeria using residents of Odukpani local government area, Cross River State as a case study. The study specifically was aimed at highlighting the prevalence of youth involvement in kidnapping, determine the factors that leads to the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria and ascertain if unemployment increases the rate of youth involvement in kidnapping. A total of 150 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are drawn from residents of Odukpani local government area, Cross River.
CONCLUSION
Based on the finding of this study, the following conclusions were made:
- The prevalence of kidnapping in Nigeria is high.
- Unemployment significantly influences youth involvement in kidnapping.
RECOMMENDATION
Based on the responses obtained, the researcher proffers the following recommendations:
- Nigerian government must include the formulation of policies and laws that could help improve the economic and social wellbeing of its citizens and deter
- There is a need to increase jobs through small enterprises and poverty alleviation
- Economic growth in Nigeria is not the only solution to curb unemployment as the official statistics illustrate that previous unemployment did not decline economic
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