YOUTHS UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE INCREASE IN KIDNAPPING RATE IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the ef ect of youths’ unemployment on incessant cases of kidnapping in Ogun State. The study aims to assess the prevalence, causes and ef ect of youth unemployment on kidnapping rate. The study adopted survey research design. The population consisted youths in on Ijebu Ode and Sagamu Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Ogun State. The respondents were selected using purposive sampling method. The main instrument used is a questionnaire tagged: “Youths Unemployment and Kidnapping Rate Questionnaire” (YUKRQ). The data collected was analysed using simple percentage. The findings revealed that youths unemployment and kidnapping is high in Ogun state, and is caused by factors such as lack of job opportunities, poor education quality and skill mismatch, economic instability and poverty rate, corruption and poor governance and hunger to get rich syndrome are responsible for youth unemployment and the rise in kidnapping in Ogun State, which has led to economic desperation, erosion of social and moral values, increased fear and insecurity in communities, financial and emotional strain on victim and families as well as overburdened law enforcement and judicial systems in Ogun State. The study concluded that there is significance relationship with youth unemployment and increase in cases of kidnapping in the state. Based on that, the study recommends that government should create enable environment that can lead to creation of job opportunities, and also implement macroeconomic policies aimed at fostering growth, reduce inflation and create conducive atmosphere for