It is evident that unemployment predisposes youths to crime. This explains why governments especially, in the developed world, place high premium on the issue of job creation.
In the United States for instance, job creation constitutes a major campaign issue during elections. The US government usually releases monthly job figures for public consumption. An administration that neglects job creation usually pays heavily during elections.
Ditto for the United Kingdom, where on-going debates for the scheduled July polls, is already dominated by such issues.
Sadly, the germane issue of unemployment appears not to be getting the desired attention.
The seeming neglect of the all-important issue of job creation, has no doubt, taken its toll on the Nigeria’s socio-economic growth and development.
More importantly, mass unemployment tends to create a pool of young men and women who could be disposed to crime in a bid to eke out a living.
Unemployed persons, especially youths, easily become willing tools in the hands of mischief makers including insurgents and violent agitators.
Tendency is for this kind of situation to precipitate rise in crime wave and/or insecurity.
Many Nigerian leaders had in the past warned
that the country sits on the keg of gunpowder with the prevailing high rate of youth unemployment.
We are therefore, persuaded that kinetic approach alone may not be the only solution to the raging insecurity in the land. So far, the security situation in the country tends to point at that.
Recently, soldiers on duty were reportedly killed by unidentified gunmen in Aba, Abia State. Few days ago, some policemen were reportedly shot dead at Ikeduru by the yet-to-identified gunmen.
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We urge governments at all levels especially, federal and state governments, to prioritise job creation. A reasonable chunk of the budgetary allocation for the procurement of guns, armoured cars, among others, could be channeled into job creation. By so doing, the propensity for youths to indulge in crimes and create an atmosphere of insecurity would be minimised.
NIGERIA NEWSPOINT