The Spread of Organized Crime in Nigeria: A Comprehensive Study of Motives and Implications

Abstract

Crime gangs and terrorist groups remain among the most severe security threats facing the Nigerian state, so it has been experiencing a surge in violent incidents linked to these organized criminal gangs. Among the most significance terrorist active group in Nigeria are Islamic State in West Africa and Boko-Haram and its divisions, so violent incidents associated with these groups, such as suicide bombings, kidnappings, and attacks on military and civilian targets, have doubled (2000-2020). Accordingly, Nigeria is grappling with the spread of organized crime within its territories, exacerbated by several critical factors, so at the local level, organized crime is the product of variables, most notably tribal life, widespread poverty and unemployment, the absence of political, economic, and developmental vision in the country, and the conflict over resources, land, and water.  Additionally, elements of organized crime benefit from technological advancements and numerous other factors that have led to the spread and entrenchment of organized crime in Nigeria.