One of
the most notable factors about social change since the end of the second European
war (1939-1945) has been the rapid growth of the urbanization in Nigeria. Urban
growth in Nigeria assumed a different dimension as from 1913 with respect to
total population (Onokehoraye, 1984). The number of urban centers rose from 24
in 1931 to 55 in 1952 and by 1963 the proportion of Nigerians living in urban
centers rose to 19.2 percent while the numbers of urban centers increased to
180 (Onokehoraye and Omuta, 1986). It is an incontrovertible fact that the
proportion of Nigerians that live in urban towns has increased in recent times as a result of
urban renewal policies.
the most notable factors about social change since the end of the second European
war (1939-1945) has been the rapid growth of the urbanization in Nigeria. Urban
growth in Nigeria assumed a different dimension as from 1913 with respect to
total population (Onokehoraye, 1984). The number of urban centers rose from 24
in 1931 to 55 in 1952 and by 1963 the proportion of Nigerians living in urban
centers rose to 19.2 percent while the numbers of urban centers increased to
180 (Onokehoraye and Omuta, 1986). It is an incontrovertible fact that the
proportion of Nigerians that live in urban towns has increased in recent times as a result of
urban renewal policies.
The growth
of urbanization has had a concomitant effect on criminal activities in the
urban centers. Overcrowding resulting from the growth of rural- urban migration,
decreasing private sector investment and physical delay of urban centers,
social contradictions resulting from the growth of inequalities in urban centers
can also be regarded as a significant factor in growth of criminal activities
in Nigeria.
of urbanization has had a concomitant effect on criminal activities in the
urban centers. Overcrowding resulting from the growth of rural- urban migration,
decreasing private sector investment and physical delay of urban centers,
social contradictions resulting from the growth of inequalities in urban centers
can also be regarded as a significant factor in growth of criminal activities
in Nigeria.
The work
describes the process and pasterns of urban expansion and its relationship with
the growth of crime in Nigeria. With particular reference to Sapele. Before
1966, Sapele was one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing urban communities. (Imoagene,
1986) until 1905, it was riverside village. Its awakening came during and after
world war I with the boom in timber and rubber. Between 1931 and 1953 Sapele
population grew by 1,373 percent as against 62 percent for Ibadan (Idid) this
growth is the fastest in Nigeria vast amount of studies have appear on the process
of urbanization in Nigeria (Akin mabogunji, 1967, Imoagene, Okediji and Aboyade,
1967 fadipe 1970, Awe,1964 Sada, 1974, 1980, 1983 Onokerhoraye 1981, 1984,
Okoye, 1981 and Ikuoria, 1983).
describes the process and pasterns of urban expansion and its relationship with
the growth of crime in Nigeria. With particular reference to Sapele. Before
1966, Sapele was one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing urban communities. (Imoagene,
1986) until 1905, it was riverside village. Its awakening came during and after
world war I with the boom in timber and rubber. Between 1931 and 1953 Sapele
population grew by 1,373 percent as against 62 percent for Ibadan (Idid) this
growth is the fastest in Nigeria vast amount of studies have appear on the process
of urbanization in Nigeria (Akin mabogunji, 1967, Imoagene, Okediji and Aboyade,
1967 fadipe 1970, Awe,1964 Sada, 1974, 1980, 1983 Onokerhoraye 1981, 1984,
Okoye, 1981 and Ikuoria, 1983).
However a
few have emerged on the form and content of the relationship between
urbanization and the expansion of criminal activities as it affects individual
to Imoagene has made profound analysis on the problems and mechanism of
immigrant adjustment in Sapele.
few have emerged on the form and content of the relationship between
urbanization and the expansion of criminal activities as it affects individual
to Imoagene has made profound analysis on the problems and mechanism of
immigrant adjustment in Sapele.
However,
Imoagene’s work only deals with the socio-psychological aspect of urbanization
in Sapele as it the new urban man. Imoagene’s work only deals with the
socio-psychological aspect of the Urbanization in Sapele as it affects the new
urban man. Imoagene’s work serve as a good reference work with respect to this
study as there is a relationship between psychology and criminal motivation
(Abrahamsen, 1944 Bloch, 1962) Apart from Imoagene’s work little attention has
paid to the relationship between urbanization and criminal activities as it
affect Sapele in the form of thesis is or long essays.
Imoagene’s work only deals with the socio-psychological aspect of urbanization
in Sapele as it the new urban man. Imoagene’s work only deals with the
socio-psychological aspect of the Urbanization in Sapele as it affects the new
urban man. Imoagene’s work serve as a good reference work with respect to this
study as there is a relationship between psychology and criminal motivation
(Abrahamsen, 1944 Bloch, 1962) Apart from Imoagene’s work little attention has
paid to the relationship between urbanization and criminal activities as it
affect Sapele in the form of thesis is or long essays.
The
relationship between urbanization and criminal activities is an important
reference point in the analysis of social change in Nigeria. criminal
activities Nigeria has assumed dangerous dimension in recent times. Variants of
criminal activities ranging from white-colar
crime to professional crime had been orchestrated phenomenally within the
Nigeria State since the end of the second European war. In Sapele,
social change resulting from urban expansion of the hither to small community was
accompanied by a rise of criminal cases.
relationship between urbanization and criminal activities is an important
reference point in the analysis of social change in Nigeria. criminal
activities Nigeria has assumed dangerous dimension in recent times. Variants of
criminal activities ranging from white-colar
crime to professional crime had been orchestrated phenomenally within the
Nigeria State since the end of the second European war. In Sapele,
social change resulting from urban expansion of the hither to small community was
accompanied by a rise of criminal cases.
Criminal
cases in Sapele as classified by the police (Crime against the person, crime
against property, and crime against public order) increased from 102 in 1931 to 526 in 1936 and
subsequently to 1,721 in 1952. By 1963 criminal activities in the town had risen
to 1,962 (NAI). The increase in these figures can be said to be connected with
the rate of urban expansion in Sapele.
cases in Sapele as classified by the police (Crime against the person, crime
against property, and crime against public order) increased from 102 in 1931 to 526 in 1936 and
subsequently to 1,721 in 1952. By 1963 criminal activities in the town had risen
to 1,962 (NAI). The increase in these figures can be said to be connected with
the rate of urban expansion in Sapele.
Classification
of criminal activities which are related to urban expanded have been divergent.
The encyclopedia Britannica classifies the variant of criminal activities as
follows:
of criminal activities which are related to urban expanded have been divergent.
The encyclopedia Britannica classifies the variant of criminal activities as
follows:
1. Violent personal crime including
murder, assault , rape and child
molesting
murder, assault , rape and child
molesting
2. Occasional property crime such as shop
lifting, check forgery, vandalism and some auto-theft
lifting, check forgery, vandalism and some auto-theft
3. Occasional white collar crime
4. Public order crime, commonly referred to as crime without criminals including drunkenness.
Vangrancy, non forced sex offences, Grambling and drug additions
Vangrancy, non forced sex offences, Grambling and drug additions
5. Conventional crime, comprising of
robbery, burglary, Larceny and must offences by youth.
robbery, burglary, Larceny and must offences by youth.
6. Organized crime such as racketeering
and illegal gambling operations. And
and illegal gambling operations. And
7. Professional crime, including
confidence games, forgery and pick pocketing. The police determines crime as
follows:
confidence games, forgery and pick pocketing. The police determines crime as
follows:
Crime against
the person, crime against property ,crime against public order, and crime
against the State, William Borger the Dutch sociologist also classifies crime into the four groups
but under different typologies. These
are economic crime, sexual crime, political crime and miscellaneous crime.
Against the background of these divergent classifications, it can be argued
that one common theme that runs through criminal activities is the fact that
crime or deviant behaviour is a fundamental social problem that merit high scholarly
research. The variants of criminal activities that have been mentioned have to
a large extent been manifested in Nigeria and in particular Sapele local government
headquarters in 1989 urbanization process had been on the increase since then,
a situation that is likely to contribute to a increase in criminal cases in the
future.
the person, crime against property ,crime against public order, and crime
against the State, William Borger the Dutch sociologist also classifies crime into the four groups
but under different typologies. These
are economic crime, sexual crime, political crime and miscellaneous crime.
Against the background of these divergent classifications, it can be argued
that one common theme that runs through criminal activities is the fact that
crime or deviant behaviour is a fundamental social problem that merit high scholarly
research. The variants of criminal activities that have been mentioned have to
a large extent been manifested in Nigeria and in particular Sapele local government
headquarters in 1989 urbanization process had been on the increase since then,
a situation that is likely to contribute to a increase in criminal cases in the
future.