SECURITY EDUCATION PROGRAMME: PANACEA FOR CRIME REDUCTION IN RURAL COMMUNITIES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

‘Security issues’ in rural communities in Nigeria is diverse and complex, ranging from raping, kidnapping, ritual killings, and suicide bombing to other forms of criminal activities with alarming dimensions and consequences. The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of security education programme in the reduction of crime in rural communities in Nigeria. Security education programme for rural community members is a means of educating, informing, reawakening, and re-orienting community members on security matters in their various communities, why they must be security conscious, what they need to do when there are security breaches how to communicate with the formal policing structure when there is a break of law and order in the community among others. Based on the study, a security education programme must be introduced to rural community members as it projects to help in the reduction of crimes in rural communities. It was recommended that a security education programme should be introduced to rural community members in promoting peace and reduction of crimes in rural communities also, there is a need to train community members in security education programme for effective security in their various communities by security experts