Policy Implementation and Insurgency in Nigeria

Prospects and Challenges

Abstract

This paper develops a new approach towards understanding and explaining the rationale behind the prevailing level of insecurity in Nigeria. Today, the world is in the grip of various destructive forces that are coalescing to give it a failed-status quo. The paper shows that the current state of insecurity in Nigeria in the name of insurgency is a manifestation of deep-rooted and structurally- entrenched crisis emanating from poor policy implementation that created the environment for the emergence of conditions of poverty, exploitation, unemployment, and inequality in the country. These in turn, lead to frustration alienation and ultimately social discontent that spark Insurgency. Without the environmental factors, these conditions could not have metamorphosed into serious national security problem threatening to tear the country apart. The findings of the paper show that although Nigeria may appear to be failing, the trends leading to this situation are reversible, if serious proactive and sustained measure could be adopted by the government, through effective policy implementation. The implication of this is that policy makers have the duty to arrest this drift through education, social justice and development. Thus, to address the Insurgency in Nigeria is in effect, to address its crisis of development.