THE CAUSES AND IMPLICATIONS OF YOUTH GANGSTERISM IN NIGERIA

Abanyam, Noah Lumun

Department of Sociology

University of Mkar, Mkar-Nigeria

E-mail: marknoah4africa@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Gangsterim is a scourge that negatively affects the social development of the Nigerian society. It encourages the exhibition of undesirable behaviour which are against the socially approved standards. This study investigated the causes and implications of youth gangsterism in Nigeria. Both the cultural transmission and differential association theory were employed (used) in analyzing the study. The study identified poverty, lack of comprehensive policy on the youths, peer group influence, weakness of the home in terms of sound parental control and high rate of illiteracy among the youths as the major causes that account for youth gangsterism in Nigeria. The study concludes that government and policy makers should enunciate well articulated (comprehensive) policies and programmes that can tackle the scourge of youth gangsterism in Nigeria.