SECURITY CHALLENGES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ESSIEN UDIM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

Abstract

Insecurity has become a hydra monster which security agents in Nigeria appear incapable of handling vis a vis its multifaceted manifestations like bombing, kidnapping/hostage taking, destruction of property, creation of fear, to mention but a few. This study therefore examines the security challenges and economic development in Essien Udim local government area. The study revealed that the power shift from the from Essien Udim to Ikot Abasi a minority geo-political zone of the state is currently on top in the list of issues that are instigating groups and individuals against the interests of the state. It is in view of the above that the researcher intend to examine the effect of security challenges and economic development in essien Udim Local government area.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

                                INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

Insecurity in Nigeria has reached an alarming proportion showing its ugly head in various facets of our national life. Lives are lost on daily basis, population depleted, businesses in comatose, investments are nose-diving, multinationals closing shops and vacating the country, unemployment soaring and the populace in fears. Clearly, it poses a threat to governance and economic growth in troubled nations. According to Stewart (2014), the economic cost of insecurity are enormous. People who joined the fighting forces, who are killed or flee, can no longer work productively; schools, power stations, and roads that are destroyed reduced the productive capacity of the economy. Security as an essential concept is commonly associated with the alleviation of threats to cherished values, especially the survival of individuals, groups or objects in the near future. One of the fundamental human rights of the people in any given state is the right to security and this is why it is always provided for in the constitution of most sovereign states. Nigeria is not an exception, thus Section 14 (2) (b) of the Nigerian 1999 constitution states clearly that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of the government”. (Ewetan, Olabanji and Urhie, Ese 2014).

However, the concept – security, is meaningless without a critical discourse of something pertinent to secure. Indeed, security could  best be understood  when situated within the context, of a referent object. In the long sweep of  human history, the central focus of security has been people (Rothschild, 1995:68). Contrarily, some scholars especially those in international politics have argued that when thinking about security, states should  be the most important referents. On the other hand, some analysts have challenged this position by arguing that any intellectual discourse on security should accord priority to human beings since without reference to individual humans, security makes no sense (McSweeney, 1999:127).

 

Notwithstanding these controversial dabates, the  focus of this investigation is on micro security. However, micro security deals with the internal security of which Nigeria is currently mired in a state of obfuscation. Therefore, crux of this study is to examine the security challenges in Nigeria and the extent to which the insurgencies of different militia groups as well as the prevailing internal insurrections across  the country have adversely affected the Nigerian economy  from 2007-2011.

 

 

Thus, this is imperative considering the fact that micro security starts with the stabilization of internal security of a given nation state. The essence of this strategy is not only to safeguard the lives of the citizens, but also to achieve the desired economic growth and development in the state. The import of internal security in a state like Nigeria has been carefully articulated by Gbanite (2001):  when our citizens’ right to safety from all kinds of man-made threats are reduced considerably, the government will inherit an increase in foreign investments most countries would like a likely trading partner to secure the lives and property of their citizens first before they themselves allow theirs to move into such territories. To be sure, Nigeria has long been facing severe security challenges prior to 2007. Thus, the internal security challenges in Nigeria since the enthronement of democracy in 1999 has received mixed reactions within and outside the Nigeria’s political environment. However, the increasing spate of ethnic militia in Nigeria and their continuous attacks on both the government and the citizens prior to 2007 partly explains why Akinterinwa (2001). It is in view of this that the researcher intend to investigate the security challenges and economic development in Essien Udim local government area.

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

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 “can there be security?” Is security of lives and properties achievable? Apparently, the security situation in Nigeria appears or at least have remained insurmountable and many people have argued that government at all levels has not done enough by not confronting the situation head on and dealing with it decisively, others have argued that the situation has a political undertone or inclination calculated to serve the interest of certain political gods, who have been dissatisfied and disgruntled about the political manifestations in the country. In recent times, in Essien Udim Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, security personnel, particularly, the Nigeria Police, Akwa Ibom Command have come under persistent unprovoked attacks, leading to deaths and destruction of property, a trend which is totally absurd and unacceptable. Whereas the remote and immediate causes of these unprovoked attacks are unknown, a discreet investigation is on the way to unravel same and seek lasting solution. The Commissioner of Police, CP AMIENGHEME ANDREW, fdc, Psc(+)* is deeply saddened by the unprovoked attack on security personnel who were out maintaining the peace yesterday, 30th March, 2021 which led to the demise of CSP Ben Ajide who was the Commander of the Command’s Quick Intervention Unit and two others, while four others are missing. The CP hereby deeply condoles with the deceased families and wish to assure same and members of the public that the Command under his watch will not be deterred in carrying out its assigned constitutional mandate and will do all within its powers to bring perpetrators to book. It is in view of this that this study becomes pertinent.

• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The study has one main objective which is divided into general and specific objective. The general objective is to examine the security challenges and economic development in Essien Udim LGA. The specific objectives are;

1. To determine the impact of security information management challenges on economic development
2. To determine the course of security improvement on economic development

• To determine how the state government contribute to the impact of security information management challenges on economic development
  • RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study

1. What is the impact of security information management challenges on economic development on Essien Udim LGA
2. What are the weakness of security information management challenges on economic development in Essien Udim LGA

• What are the solution to effective security information management challenges on economic development in Essien Udim LGA
  • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;

H₀: weakness of security information management challenges does not have any effect on economic development in Essien Udim LGA

H₁: weakness of security information management challenges does have an effect on economic development in Essien Udim LGA

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great importance to the management of security challenges on the effect of economic development of Essien Udim LGA of Akwa Ibom state. The study will also be of great importance to the management of security architecture in Essien Udim LGA of Akwa Ibom state as the study seek to explore the strategies that the management of security architecture in the state as this will aid in curbing insecurity in the state. The study will also be of great importance to researcher who intend to embark on a study in a similar topic as the study will serve as a reference point to further study. The study will also be of great importance to students, teachers, academia’s and the general public as the findings of this study will add to the pool of existing literature on the subject matter and also contribute to knowledge on the subject matter.

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers the security challenges and economic development in Essien Udim LGA. But in the course of the study, there are some factors that limit the scope of the study;

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
3. c) Individual privacy: Limited Access to the selected individuals makes it difficult to get all the necessary and required information concerning the activities.

1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Security

Security is freedom from, or resilience against, potential harm caused by others. Beneficiaries of security may be of persons and social groups, objects and institutions, ecosystems or any other entity or phenomenon vulnerable to unwanted change

Security challenges

Security threats and challenges are actions or events that put at risk the material or identity basis upon which individuals, societies, and states and perhaps even the planet have come to expect or rely.

Economic development

Economic Development is the creation of wealth from which community benefits are realized. It is more than a jobs program, it’s an investment in growing your economy and enhancing the prosperity and quality of life for all residents. Economic development means different things to different people

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