CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The movement of people from one ecological region to another, whether temporary or permanent, is referred to as migration [Adewale 2005]. A group of people migrates because of current situations, and the reasons for doing so vary from person to person depending on the circumstances that led to the decision to migrate. Individuals or families/households with certain economic, social, educational, and demographic traits are targeted through migration. The migration of individuals from rural to urban regions is a typical occurrence in Northwest Nigeria, fueled by the instability that exists there.

Even if there are positives to the mobility, it can cause certain problems in rural and urban regions. Rural-urban migration has a quick degradation of the rural economy in most rural areas, resulting to chronic poverty and food insecurity [Mini S.E 2003]. These issues occur mostly as a result of the exodus of young from rural areas, leaving only the elderly, women, and children to work in the rural areas. Migration to cities is putting growing pressure on local governments’ ability to respond to urban populations’ social service requirements. Banditry refers to the frequency or occurrence of armed robbery or other violent crimes. It entails using force, or threatening to use force, to intimidate someone with the goal to rob, rape, or kill them. Banditry is a crime committed against people. It has long been a popular crime genre and source of violence in modern civilizations (Nigeria Watch, 2011). Banditry appears to be widespread in Nigeria, and it appears to be on the rise. Much like the Northeast, where Boko Haram terrorists have wrought havoc in the last ten years, Nigeria’s northwest is quickly becoming another significant regional theatre of bloodshed. A situation that began as small land disputes between herders and farmers has grown into an unsolvable crisis that poses a huge danger to national and regional security. The level of rural banditry has been increasing since 2014, attracting a lot of attention while assuming increased political undertones are masterminds to this. However, it has a huge impact on the survival of the common man and the general public, which is why most rural settlers leave their homes and migrate to urban areas in order to secure their lives. Banditry is a type of armed violence motivated primarily by a desire to steal and loot. It is motivated by the desire for financial gain.

Individuals and communities with substantial assets, as well as ordinary people displaced from their homes and compelled to move, are the victims.

Banditry has reached disturbing new heights in the northwestern states of Kaduna, Zamfara, and Katsina in recent years. Villages are terrorized with impunity by bandits. They have established fortified enclaves in the hinterland and on the borderlands in states such as Ogun, Kaduna, and Kastina, respectively, from which they plot and execute out their operations on rural community residents.

Statement Of The Problem

Crime thrives in environments where deterrence is lacking. There are several opportunities for criminal activities in most of Nigeria’s rural villages. For one reason, some of these settlements are in rural locations with little or no government presence. More crucially, forest areas separate and intersperse households and schools in some circumstances. As a result, they are vulnerable to banditry. The lack of efficient community policing structures capable of dealing with the hinterlands’ unique security challenges aggravates the situation. The ongoing banditry activities in Nigeria’s northwest region have forced rural inhabitants to flee their homes in seek of help in the city. The implications for both rural and urban communities might be enormous. Aside from relocation, the violence has impeded agricultural activity and increased the possibility of severe food insecurity. Livelihoods have been disrupted, fear and insecurity have escalated among the people, and IDPs and host communities are vying for precious resources including water, land, and food. Women, children, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable, while security, food, and other basic requirements are top priorities in afflicted communities. This study, however, seeks to investigate the impact of banditry on rural-urban mobility against this context.

Objective Of The Study

The goal of this research is to see how banditry affects rural-urban mobility. It is specifically targeted at:

  1. To investigate the factors that may cause rural-urban migration.
  2. To find how how banditry affects rural communities.
  3. To determine the rate of banditry-related rural-urban migration

Significance Of The Study

This research will raise government awareness of the need to develop credible and implementable measures to stop the attacks on the common man and improve their living conditions. It would also inform policymakers about the importance of developing policies that address rural-urban migration and prioritize life security. It will educate community members on the importance of being security conscious and preparing other self-defense mechanisms in the event that government enforcement authorities do not respond quickly. Finally, the research will add to the larger body of knowledge.

Scope Of The Study

The goal of this research is to see how banditry affects rural-urban mobility. It will look into the circumstances that can lead to rural-urban migration. It will also look into how banditry affects rural communities. It will also establish the rate of rural-urban migration triggered by banditry. The research is limited to the state of Kaduna.

Research Hypotheses

H0: There is no correlation between banditry and rural-urban migration.

H0: Banditry has a limited impact on rural-urban migration.

Limitation Of The Study

During the course of this investigation, the researcher faced a number of difficulties, the most significant of which are:
Financial constraints – A lack of funds impedes the researcher’s efficiency in locating relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as in the data gathering procedure (internet, questionnaire and interview).
Time constraint: The researcher will be working on this subject while also doing other academic tasks. As a result, the amount of time spent on research will be reduced.

Operational Definitions

Implication is the result of an activity or the conclusion that may be made from something even if it is not expressed directly.

Outlaws commit banditry, which is a sort of organized crime that usually involves the threat or use of violence. A bandit is a person who engages in banditry and commits crimes such as extortion, robbery, and murder, either individually or in gangs.

A rural area, sometimes known as the countryside, is a geographical area outside of towns and cities.

Villages and agro-communities are included.

A developed geographical area, such as a town or city, is referred to be urban.

Migration is the movement of people from one location to another with the aim of staying there, either permanently or temporarily.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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