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It is no new gist that Nigeria my country is ranked among the highest country involved in youth related crimes. Infact the most common of them all is the modern day CYBER CRIME, which is natively called ‘YAHOO YAHOO’. Youth crime in Nigeria is a leading threat to the international recognition of Nigeria, it has eaten so deeply into Nigeria as a result of the facts I would be stating here. There are a lot of reasons why youths are involved in a multiple crime related activity, to mention a few like: Cyber crime aka yahoo yahoo, stealing of election ballot box, Political thuggery, increase in rape cases, Drug trafficking/ abuse, cultism and lot’s more.
Indeed youth crime is at it’s all time high especially in this modern era as a result of the high explosion of knowledge found in the 21st century but this is not the only contributing factor to youth crime. There are numerous reasons why youths decide to get involved in crime and I will list a few of them with explanations.
REASONS:
A. PEER PRESSURE:
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A major leading cause of the increased youth crime in my country, is not far from peer group influence. I am writing from experience because I am equally a youth, and as a youth I’d say I have also been a victim of circumstance. Peer pressure from the wrong group of people is a leading cause of crime amongst youth, there is this adage that says ‘show me your friend and I will tell who you are’ and another that says ‘ birds of a feather flock together’
I feel with this proverbs, we could picture from a distance that having a criminal friend automatically makes you a criminal. What I am saying is that a lot of youths wants to fit into their prescribed peers and at the process of trying to belong, they commit all sought of crimes like raping, stealing or high jacking cars and lot’s more just to keep up with their peers.
B. EXTREME POVERTY:
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Extreme poverty cannot be left out when listing the causes of the sky rocketed crimes amongst our youths. A lot of youths in Nigeria are living in abject poverty, to the extent that they can’t even afford the essential three square meals of living as a result of the increased rate of unemployment in Nigeria. Nigeria is known for its sky rocketed increase in unemployment, a lot of youth graduates are roaming around the street looking for employment. Some youths don’t even have a place to call home. Now the question is, if such youth is presented with life changing crime opportunities like stealing of election ballot box, political thuggery, drug trafficking etc. Do you think him/she would be tempted to get involved in such crime? I think the answer is ‘Yes’ and this is a leading cause of youth crime in Nigeria.
C. Quest For Power And Respect:
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This is not even far from the Nigerian campuses, the Nigerian university environment is a home for youths and the quest for power by youths is very alarming. A lot of youths involve themselves in crimes like cultism, possession of unlicensed Guns etc just to fulfill their quest for power. Youths in Nigerian university’s love to get involved in school politics ie S.U.G ‘Students Union Government’ for the post of president, Vice President, financial secretary and lot’s more. For them to fulfill this political dream they get involved in cultism and even go to the extent of possessing unlicensed guns just to scare their political opponent and make them step down from contesting for their post of interest. Some even join cultism to have the beautiful girls on campus to themselves, they go as far as even killing or beating any guy or man willing to stand on their way.
D. GET RICH QUICK SYNDROME:
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To be honest this is a leading cause of the increased rate of cyber crime committed by youths in Nigeria. The get rich quick syndrome has corrupted the minds of youths in Nigeria , making them lose interest in legit handwork. They believe they could jump protocol and become super rich by getting involved in cyber crime aka YAHOO YAHOO, currently a lot of youths don’t believe that making money is a gradual and steady process, they believe they could get rich over night from scam. Not only has this contributed greatly to crime amongst youth in Nigeria, it has also contributed to laziness amongst youth.
SOLUTIONS TO THIS MENACE:
Curbing crime amongst youths, could be very challenging but there are easier ways that could help eradicate and reduce crimes amongst youths to the barest minimum.
I. Creation Of Mouth Watering Job Opportunities for the youths: when a country creates well paying job opportunities for it’s youths believe me when I say youth crime would be reduced to it’s barest minimum.
II. Creation Of More Poverty alleviation Programmes for youths in Nigeria: This could help empower youths and create good opportunities/awareness for them to make good use of their God given skills, talents or even to make a better use of their school certificate in order to eradicate poverty. This will help reduce crime amongst youth to the barest minimum and make them busy with their lives, because an idle mind is a devils workshop.
III. Provision Of Free Education For The Poor and Illiterate Youths: I believe illiteracy could also be a contributing factor to crime amongst youths, providing free education could help them think differently and channel their youthful energy into making the world a better place.
IV. Good Parenting/ Counseling: As they say ‘Charity Begins At Home’ the first people we come in contact with in life are those who gave birth to us or those who took care of us from childhood. Good Parenting and counseling from our parents or Guardian could help reform the mind of a youth, I can say that good Parenting took me this far into being a better person because I understood the consequences of getting involved in youth crime. Definitely peer pressure would come but your ability to withdraw and withstand such tempting peer offers could be as a result of Good parenting. Never ignore the positive effect of good Parenting in the life of your child. I believe with this few points of mine, youth crime could be completely eradicated from my country.