Security and Crime Prevention in Under-Policed Societies: The Experiment of Community Vigilantism in Anambra State of Nigeria, West Africa

Abstract

This study examines the solo experiment of individual communities in Anambra State of Nigeria in West Africa in their efforts to provide much desired security and order. These efforts are to be implemented through the communities own version of vigilantism due to either the lack of or non-existent organized police services. As part of the sampling, the author distributed a questionnaire to over 500 respondents and, in the end, analyzed 500 responses to attitudinal and demographic questions with the help of Cluster-random sampling techniques. Also,  multivariate logit analysis was applied by using respondents ‘participation in vigilante groups as independent variable, and attitudinal-predisposition statements (dealing with age, education, reduction in crime, fear of crime, reduction in chaos and distrust in police services) as the dependent variables resulted in significant interactions and effects. The study revealed that age, education, reduction in crime, fear of crime and distrust in the Nigeria police, Anambra State services have influenced the behavior of individuals to engage in vigilantism. The study further found out that vigilantism ensures fairness among the inhabitants of a given society, ensures justice and accountability for societal welfare gains. The study recommended that the Government of Nigeria, Non-Governmental Agencies and other stakeholders should intensify the media advertising on the establishment of Vigilante groups in order to improve upon the lives of the citizenry.

Keywords: Vigilantism, Crime rate, Multivariate-Logit, Chaos, Police service and Security