Environmental Factors Aiding Crimes in Urban Areas in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examined the environmental factors contributing to criminal activities in urban areas in Nigeria. The investigation proceeded from the view that crime is one of the human security problems, which confronted humanity across the globe, a menace which is bedevilling developed and developing countries alike. The paper argued that the nature of crime has been a criminal activity that has the potential to cause significant physical, financial and material losses to victims. Consequent on this, the paper outlined the drivers of urban criminality as relative deprivation, life expectancy, economic inequality, educational attainment, social and economic development and loss in human development potential. The authors asserted that the associated environmental factors of urban criminality such as poverty, unemployment, corruption, urbanisation, family, moral decadence, poor education, technology, child abuse, drug trafficking and abuse, architectural or environmental design are largely attributed to the current crime problems bedeviling Nigeria. The paper concluded that the urban centres in Nigeria are the engines of growth and development, premised on the fact that nearly half of the country’s total population resided in cities. The authors concluded that threats emanating from urban crime exert pressures on urban residents and means of livelihoods. In view of the above, the paper recommended that federal and state governments should immediately tackle widespread poverty and growing unemployment and inequality especially amongst the urban poor.