MIGRATION, URBANISATION AND CRIME RATES IN NIGERIA CITIES: A STUDY OF LAFIA METROPOLIS

Stephen S. Ojo & Adesina S. Ayesoro

Department of Social Development

Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia

ABSTRACT

The influx of people to any area raises many problems. The concentration of population in Lafia city is very alarming and this was largely due to migration with attendant problem of crime increase. It is important to find out if the extent of crime rates can be explained in terms of such factors of migration and urbanization. Multi-stage technique comprising cluster, purposive, systematic and simple random sampling were used for the selection of the respondents. The method includes questionnaires, in-depth interview and direct observation was applied in the study. From the findings, the study concluded that the phenomenal growth in urbanization in Lafia city and the inability of the urban area to be able to utilize/absorb the urban labour that was created through the process of urbanization. A serious malady responsible for urban unemployment and the attendant problems like crime is the staggering rate at which young people migrate to the city. Therefore, an attempt should be taken to embark on planned development whereby rural areas would be developed relatively and have basic social infrastructures that can attract and sustain the population in form of return migration. Also there is the need for industrialization particularly agro-allied industries should be developed to stabilize the process of urbanization in Nigerian cities, this will greatly reduce crime rates.