THE EFFECT OF BANDITRY AND KIDNAPPING ON STUDENTS ENROLMENT IN NIGER STATE

Abstract

This study set out to examine the effect of banditry and kidnapping on students'enrolment in Niger State. The study adopted documentary research approach were data was collected, from the record of various schools affected as a result of banditry and kidnapping in the state. Data was collected from 100 respondents from affected communities of the state. The paper used situational Action Theory (SAT) by Per OlofWikstom (2004), which focus on the motive behind tourism, banditry insurgency, kidnapping and aimed robbery. The theory was choosen on the basis of its application in knowing while people are motivated to commit crimes considering it effect on ecological, criminological, social and behavioual factor. The findings reveals that the incidence of banditry and kidnapping in Niger State as affected students enrolment, performance and attendance because 41 junior and senior secondary schools within the affected communities are completely shut down since 2021 because of the anxiety among the students, staff, and parents The paper therefore concluded that, the incidence of banditry and kidnapping in the state is traceable to high level of unemployment, poor motivation of security agents, state boarder with affected states like Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, and thereby recommended that, government shouldacquire modern equipment for the security agents to fight the menace of banditry to restore peace in the affected communities so that schools that are closed can now be re-opened to give opportunity to children that could not attend schools as a result of fear of being kidnap and can now be enroll into various institutions, government should embark on enlightenment campaign assuring parents, students and parents of their safety to improve students' performance, government should also provide standby security in every school located in most of the affected communityto reduce fear and anxiety so that student will be motivated to attend school regularly.