Effect of Democratic rule on National security in Nigeria: Evidence from Post Election Violence in Nigeria (2007- 2011)

Abstract

This study identifies the effect of democratic rule and national security in Nigeria. Part of its objectives is to examine the relationships between democratic rule and national security, the study review literature on the concept of Democracy and National security. Three hundred and eighty four copies of questionnaires were administered to target the respondents from Kano state Nigeria. This is because Kano state has the largest population in Nigeria base on National Population Commission Census, 2006 and constituted the majority of post election violence of 2007 and 2011 General elections in Nigeria. Three hundred and twenty four copies of the questionnaire were completed and returned, giving a total responses rate of 84.4%. The study employed simple regression to analyse the data. Surprisingly, the finding of the study reveals that there is no significant relationship between democratic rule and national security. The study recommends that government should increase the size of Nigeria’s security agencies, equip them with modern tools and technology, empower and motivate them well and strengthen neighbourhood watch and implications of finding were also discussed.

Keywords: Democracy, National Security, Kano State, Nigeria.