J. AIHIE

The study seeks to the influence of kidnapping for ransom in Delta State: Implications for security and development. The objective of the study was to examine the dynamic nature, level of awareness and knowledge of kidnapping among the people of Delta State, to investigate the causes of kidnapping and ransom among the people of Delta State, to survey the social effects of kidnapping on the people and community development in Delta State, to examine kidnapping for ransom effects on the economic life and development of community members in Delta State and finally, to investigate the challenging effects of kidnapping on the mental and psychological wellbeing of the people in Delta State. In order to achieve the objectives of this study, five research questions and hypotheses were raised and formulated, answered and tested respectively. The study adopted a survey research design. The population of study of this research is made up of the total number of people residing in Delta State while the target population of the study is the residence of Ughelli North Local Government which is 320,687. The sample size of this study is 500 respondents. The instrument used for the collection of data was the questionnaire which was administered to a total number of 500 respondents and 456 was retrieved. To ensure content validity of the research instrument, the questionnaire was submitted to the research supervisor and other expert in the Department of Political Science. Their corrections, criticisms, clarifications, suggestions and scrutiny serve as the final bases in drafting the final research
instrument. Again, in order to ensure reliability of the research instrument, it was subjected to test-retest reliability test. Data was analyzed using simple percentage and Pearson Product Correlation Coefficient. The study establishes that despite the kidnapping awareness among the people, kidnapping for ransom is still rampant in the area. The study recommendation that the government should provide employment opportunity for the teeming youths of the area to abate the incidence of kidnapping in Delta State.