DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

Kidnapping has become a major security challenge in Nigeria, posing severe threats to rural communities that depend on agriculture for survival. In Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, frequent abductions between 2020 and 2025 disrupted farming activities, reduced farmers’ access to farmlands, and undermined household livelihoods. This study examined the effects of kidnapping on agricultural productivity, farmers’ income, food security, children’s education, and community wellbeing. Findings from statistical data analysis revealed that persistent kidnappings forced many farmers to abandon their farmlands, leading to reduced food production and discouraging investment in agriculture. Household income declined significantly, pushing families into poverty and disrupting children’s education as parents struggled to meet financial obligations. The scarcity of farm produce and other essential goods further increased food prices and worsening the economic hardship faced by rural households. Beyond these economic consequences, the fear and trauma of kidnapping eroded the psychological stability and social cohesion of communities. The study concluded that kidnapping constitutes not only a security problem but also a structural impediment to food security and rural development in Ovia North-East. It recommended strengthening community-based security, supporting affected farmers, and implementing holistic rural development strategies.

This study examined the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the challenges associated with monitoring political party campaign financing in Nigeria. Campaign financing has become a major issue in democratic governance due to the increasing influence of money in electoral processes, which often affects transparency, accountability, and fairness during elections. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of INEC in regulating and monitoring political party finances, identify the major challenges confronting the commission, and examine the implications of poor monitoring on democratic development in Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were collected through questionnaires administered to selected respondents, while secondary data were gathered from textbooks, journals, official reports, and relevant publications. The findings revealed that INEC faces numerous challenges in monitoring political party campaign financing, including inadequate manpower, insufficient funding, weak enforcement mechanisms, corruption, lack of transparency by political parties, and political interference. The study also found that excessive campaign spending and poor financial disclosure by political parties undermine free and fair elections in Nigeria. The study concluded that although INEC has the constitutional responsibility to regulate campaign financing, several institutional and political challenges limit its effectiveness. The study therefore recommended that the Nigerian government should strengthen electoral laws, provide adequate funding and independence for INEC, enforce strict penalties against defaulters, and promote transparency and accountability in political party financing. These measures would enhance credible elections and strengthen democratic governance in Nigeria.

This study investigated the implications of political violence on the electoral participation of university students during Nigeria's 2023 general elections. The impelus for this inquiry was the pressing need to identify the elements that inhibit youth participation in democracy, particularly given their substantial proportion of the population. The study sought to determine the correlation between direct or indirect encounters with political violence and subsequent voter discouragement.It further explored the connection between the ferocity of inter-party competition and the frequency of violent occurrences. The methodology employed a survey-based research design, utilizing a structured questionnaire to gather data from a sample of one hundred (100) university students. The resulting data were subjected to analysis through descriptive statistics, including frequency counts and simple percentages. The proposed hypotheses were evaluated using the Simple Percentage Method. The findings indicate an alarmingly low level of student involvement in the electoral process, with a mere 30% of respondents participating in the presidential election. A substantial majority, 58%, identified fear of violence as their primary reason for abstaining from voting. The research documented a high occurrence of violence, with 54% of students reporting direct witness or knowledge of physical assaults. The testing of hypotheses established a significant correlation between the nature of the political violence experienced and the degree of voter discouragement. Furthermore, a significant relationship was confirmed between the intensity of political party rivalries and the prevalence of reported incidents of political violence. In conclusion, this study establishes that political violence, exacerbated by intense party rivalries, serves as a critical barrier to student electoral participation, effectively disenfranchising a vital segment of the nation's educated youth. In light of these conclusions, the study proposes the implementation of targeted security protocols in campus areas, the enhancement of voter education programs to emphasize safety rights, and a renewed commitment from political parties to conduct peaceful campaigns.

Local governments in Nigeria are to provide services aimed at improving the welfare of
people living within their jurisdictions. In this research work, the researcher intended to
have a general discussion with local government as my background. But lack of space
may not allow me for detailed discussion and analysis. However, all essential parts of the role of local government administration in economic and social development of rural areas in Nigeria are discussed. In chapter one, I discussed the background of the
problem of study, the scope, some research questions and research hypothesis, significant and some definition of terms. Chapter two contains review of related literature, local government, social and economic development process, characteristics of rural area and the history of local government. Furthermore, chapter three contains research design, area of study, population and sample size, instrument for data collection, validation of instrument, reliability of instrument, method of data collection and method of data analysis. Chapter four contains presentation and analysis of data, testing of hypothesis and summary of result. Finally, chapter five contains discussion of result findings, conclusion, and implication of the research findings, recommendation, limitation and suggestion for further research.

The fundamental purpose of local government is to bring government closer to the people
at the grass root level in a federal heterogeneous state. It impact embraces the
continuous provision of basic public amenities and promoting economic and social
development amongst it citizenry and in its environ. Thus, this research examines the
impact of local government administration on economic and social development
strategies in Iyanomo community of Ikpoba-Okha local government Area of Edo State.
The study adopted survey research design; questionnaires were used as instrument of
data collection and simple percentage was used to analyze the data. The study found
amongst others that, local government weak financial base hinders them from meeting
their developmental goals which explains the lack of stable electricity, amenities,
dilapidated roads, weak institutions, ill equipped health care centers and lack of other
basic amenities across Nigeria particular Iyanomo Community. Furthermore, policy
recommendations were adopted; they include that, local government statutory allocation
should be upwardly reviewed from 52.68%, 26.72% and 20.6% to 52.1%, 25.9% and
22.0% at the federal, state and local governments respectively. Local government should
be allowed to function without the control of federal and state government. Federal
allocation meant for local government should be sent directly to local government and
not through state -local government joint account. Finally the local government
leadership should be constantly engage in the strategic developmental project devoid of
corrupt practices using federal allocation and internally generated revenue within its
local government.

This study was carried out to critically evaluate “Police brutality and the issue of Endsars Protest. The case of Edo State. pecifically, the study investigated the issues and various events that led to the Endsars protest and how the Endsars protest started and ended. Also, the study carefully looked at both the positive and negative effects of the Protest, how youth from various parts of Edo state came out to pour out how they felt about the situation which later was hijacked by thugs. The study employed the survey research design. Questionnaire was used for data collection which was raised against five scale of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Undecided (U), Strongly Disagree (SD), Disagree (D), and was analyzed using the frequency tables and simple percentage method. A total of 130 respondents were conveniently selected as sample size comprising of Students in the University of Benin, drivers and youth outside of the great University of Benin also. Out of the 130 respondents, 100 responses were received and validated from the survey, because some of the respondents did not submit the questionnaire. The survey adopted the Uses and gratification theory (UGT). From the responses obtained and analyzed, the findings revealed that the Endsars Protest really occurred in Edo State, it’s massive effects on citizens of Edo state and effects also on businesses within the State. Furthermore, there is a significant relationship between police brutality and endsars protest. Demands were made by the protesters, popularly referred to as the big five demands. On the basis of these findings, it was recommended that in order to prevent another Endsars rotest, increment in salaries, discipline and fight against corruption were the recommendations to prevent another Endsars rotest in Edo state and Nigeria as a whole.

Crime remains a major social problem that negatively affects individuals and society through economic, psychological, and health-related consequences. In response to the increasing rate of crime, the police as a formal institution of social control are charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order. However, traditional policing methods have often proven inadequate in addressing modern security challenges. This led to the emergence of community policing, which emphasizes partnership and collaboration between the police and members of the community in crime prevention and control. Community policing encourages proactive policing strategies, problem-solving, and public participation in maintaining peace and security. In Nigeria, the adoption of community policing in 2004 marked a significant step toward police reform aimed at improving public trust, professionalism, and effective service delivery. This approach seeks to transform citizens into co-producers of justice and security by strengthening police-community relations. The study therefore examines the role of community policing in crime prevention and control, highlighting its importance as a proactive strategy for ensuring the protection of lives and property in society.

This study examined community policing and internal security in Nigeria, with particular reference to Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State. The main objective of the study was to assess the nature and practice of community policing, its impact on crime reduction and internal security, the challenges facing its implementation, and the role of youths and local
security actors in sustaining community policing initiatives in the study area. The study adopted a survey research design. Data were collected through the use of questionnaires administered to residents of Esan North-East Local Government Area. The data
obtained were analyzed using simple percentages and frequency tables.
The findings of the study revealed that community policing has improved collaboration between the police and community members, leading to better information sharing and quicker response to crime. The study also found that community policing has contributed to a reduction in crime and an improvement in the level of internal security in the area. However, challenges such as inadequate funding, lack of trust between the police and residents, poor cooperation, and insufficient training of personnel were identified as major obstacles to the effective implementation of community policing. The study concluded that community policing is an effective strategy for enhancing internal security when there is active cooperation between the police and the community. It was therefore recommended that the government should provide adequate funding, improve training for community policing officers, and promote public awareness and community participation in security matters

Youth participation in politics has become an important issue in democratic governance, especially in developing societies like Edo State. This study examines the challenges and opportunities associated with youth participation in the politics of Edo State. The study was motivated by the increasing role of young people in political activities such as voting, campaigning, political advocacy, and civic engagement, alongside the persistent barriers limiting their full involvement in governance and decision-making processes. The objectives of the study were to identify the level of youth participation in politics in Edo State, examine the factors affecting their participation, and explore the opportunities available for greater political inclusion of youths. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and relied on both primary and secondary sources of data. Findings revealed that although youths in Edo State actively participate in electoral campaigns, social media mobilization, and political rallies, their involvement in leadership and policy-making positions remains limited. Major challenges identified include unemployment, poverty, political violence, godfatherism, lack of political education, inadequate funding, and distrust in political institutions. Despite these obstacles, the study also found significant opportunities for youth political participation through digital media platforms, civic education programs, the “Not Too Young to Run” policy, youth empowerment initiatives, and increasing political awareness among young people. ([CDD Fact Check][1])
The study concluded that youths possess the energy, creativity, and population strength needed to contribute meaningfully to democratic development in Edo State if given equal opportunities and support. It therefore recommended that government, political parties, and civil society organizations should create enabling environments that encourage youth inclusion in governance, strengthen political education, reduce electoral violence, and provide economic empowerment programs for young people. This will enhance democratic participation, political stability, and sustainable development in Edo State and Nigeria at large.

This study investigates the relationship between distrust in government institutions and voter apathy in some selected local government areas of Ekiti and Gombe States, focusing on the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria. Distrust in government institutions, including electoral bodies, contributes significantly to voters’ disengagement, leading to lower voters’ turnout and reduced political participation. The research examined how distrust in government institutions influences citizen’s political engagements especially voters’ turnout and the extent to which socioeconomic factors shape voter participation. The research further investigates the impact of factors such as weak institutions, socioeconomic status, and political mobilization on voter turnout in these two states. In order to achieve the set objective of the study, four research questions were raised and hypotheses formulated to test the variables. The theoretical framework adopted for the study was structural- functional theory, and deliberative democracy theory. The research design adopted for the study was a cross-sectional survey design, the study draws on data collected from 2,391 registered voters across six local government areas in the two states, employing multi-stage sampling, simple random sampling, purposive and judgmental sampling, technique to select respondents for this study. The 2,391 sample size was derived through the use of Taro Yamane formula as respondents was drawn from six local government areas (LGAs) in Ekiti state (Ikere-Ekiti, Ado-Ekiti, Oye-Ekiti) and Gombe States (Gombe, Kwami, and Kaltungo). The research instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire and in-depth interview of key informants. The copies of questionnaire were administered to a total number of 2,391 respondents and 2,020 questionnaires retrieved representing 84.5.3% return rate. Additionally, in-depth interview of 12 interviewees and key informants was conducted to provide robust understanding on the factors contributing to distrust of government and voter apathy. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation, regression analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS 24). While qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings from this study revealed that distrust of government, fueled by perceptions of electoral fraud, lack of responsiveness, and government interference, significantly contributed to low voters turnout in both states. Educational attainment was found to have varying impacts, with Ekiti showing higher levels of distrust linked to education, while Gombe’s political mobilization through community networks played a more significant role in encouraging voter participation. The study recommended the need for electoral reforms, improved voter education, and greater transparency in government institutions to restore public trust and enhance democratic participation in Nigeria.