Perspectives in Nigeria

Beginning from the mid 80s to the present time, majority of Nigerians unarguably, perceive major increases of armed robbery in Nigeria as constituting a “crime alarm”, phenomenal, and disturbing. There is no formal survey, study or available literature to the attention of the researcher, on crimes ranking in Nigeria. Yet the perception of the seriousness of the offence has, however, not escaped some scholars (Rotimi 1984; Mareni 1987; Ekpeyong 1989; Olurode 1990; Otu 1992; Iwarimie-Jaja 1987,1999a). These authors in their studies, directly or indirectly explained the seriousness and the menace of armed robbery in general, and in Nigeria, in particular.

Iwarimie-Jaja (1987, 1999a), Ekpeyong (1989) and Otu (1992) note that people now live under constant fear, and seem to cage themselves in a self-imprisoned style—

behinds heavy iron bars and doors for protection. This is also in addition that innocent souls and breadwinners have been prematurely mowed down in the hands of these armed bandits. Iwarimie-Jaja (1999a: 156-158) captures vividly, the perception of the seriousness of armed robbery in contemporary Nigeria when he writes inter alia:

… Of all crimes committed in Nigeria, none is horrifying to the Nigeria people as armed robbery… Indeed, the enormity of armed robbery and the

violence associated with it has become major source of concern not only for the Nigerian citizenry but also for the various levels of government in the country. People are scared to go to the streets, dark alleys and building without security; hence they pay more for security measures such as watchdogs night watchmen, security alarm devices, barricades, and widow protectors. Our high ways and express roads have become dreary for fear of armed robbers who rob, injure and murder travellers.

He goes further to describes the hopelessness and helplessness of the whole situation in terms of managing the quagmire of armed robbery when he says thus (157)

Armed robbery has remained a chronic crime, which is systematically and flagrantly committed with unabated violence. It has been reproduced, reinforced and perpetuated by the tactic collaboration of the different segments of the society.

Odey (2000:69) echoes the view about the perceive seriousness and scourge of armed robbery in today Nigeria when he explains, that armed robbers have virtually taken over the country. According to this author, this has not only raised so many questions about the usefulness of the Nigerian Police, but it has also given rise to the emergence of parallel vigilante groups and or ethnic militias such as Odua People’s Congress (OPC), and the Bakasi Boys who have suddenly become the people’s darling to the consternation of both the federal government and the Police.

Mareni (1987) while trying to depict the seriousness of the offence notes that the majority of Nigerian citizenry feel that the country is unsafe, and is besieged by armed robbers who are better organised, and committed than the police. So, he argues that life is uncertain. Indeed, the situation in the country over the past few years can be described as one in which daily-armed robbery operations have left people gasping for breath. A good number of promising young men and women have been brutally stripped off all their belongings, murdered or maimed.

Agekame et al. (2001:26) writing in the Tell Magazines recently re-echoed this perceived seriousness and the alarming dangers associated with armed robbery in contemporary Nigeria. According to these authors, the country has been under the tormenting siege of armed robbers and assassins alike. Thy also write that these

“hoodlums”, as they referred them, are day in, day out moving about on the streets, and wrecking havocs on innocent citizens. As a consequent, a number of people, both the lowly and highly placed, have either being killed in their prime, or those who are lucky to stay alive have been maimed, traumatised or dehumanised. In addition, according to them, never at any time in Nigeria chequered history has the country been subjected to such horrendous reign of armed hoodlums as everyone now tremble with fears-the fears of the unknown (26).

In his sarcastic, but well-founded treatise warning visitors to Africa titled “So You’re Planning A Trip to Africa”, Scott Bidstrup (1999:3) illuminates the seriousness of armed robbery in modern Nigeria. He warned the would-be-visitors to be wary. As he put it inter alia:

… Never travel at night. Armed robbery is always everywhere in Nigeria, but is much worse at night…Daytime travel isn’t safe, but it is much safer than nighttimes travel. Never carry all your money with you. If you get robbed, and they find your money (and yes, they will, no matter how clever you think you are), you’ll end up penniless in a country that doesn’t know the meaning of the words “credit cards”, “wire transfers”, “ATM”, or “bank credit”.

Although the new government is making inroads into the problem, it is still serious, and the possibility it could happen to you quite real. The best defence is to be prepared…

The media too, have time often, reflected on the incidence of armed robbery and its unrivalled perceived seriousness an gory, with titillating headlines and editorials, reverberating series of highly impassioned news, about the wave of the offence, short of

saying that it ranks first among all other crimes in modern Nigeria. These feelings and perceptions no doubt influenced the Obasanjo government of 1999 to set aside the sum of two billion naira (N2), described, however, as paltry for the police to buffer up their equipment in the fight against it. This singular effort in monetary term demonstrates the concern over the seriousness of armed robbery among other conventional and non-conventional crimes in modern Nigeria.

There are also of course, unlimited public reactions and discussions on the perceived seriousness of armed robbery relative to other crimes, now rooted at the community levels, sometimes, in a perverse romanticised manner, and at other times, with a sense of fear. To the general public, armed robbers who assume devilish and

“spiritual” during operations are sons, relations, friends, well-wishers and those well known to them. They live with them and also partake in the discussions about their activities. Importantly, the apparent general public’s perceptions on the seriousness of the crime are expressed through pressures for tough legislation, harsher punishments and general security apparatuses reform as earlier noted.

There are exceptions to the viewpoints expressed above on the seriousness of armed robbery. Schur (1965:24) noted that public perceptions of crime and its consequent ranking is a direct function of crime reports, and its seriousness that are often times, done in a manner to ignite alarm, and to provoke impassioned reactions. While reviewing the statement of the U.S. Presidential Commission on law enforcement and administration of justice that worked on the FIB 1965 figures, Schur argued that the common assumption and fear of attack by strangers lurking the shadows, heightens the general public perception of crime alarm (24).

The perceptions and the general fear of armed robbery, and its high ranking relative to other crimes, is not because of lost that are measured in monetary values.

According to Adler, Mueller, and Laufer (1991:224) it is important, because of other consequences such as the psychological and physical traumas in their wake. These authors are of the views that these later consequences are grave, and that the aftermaths became more glaring if the decay in the society caused this pervasive fear and anxiety are taken into account.

It is worth reviewing, however cursory, the history of both the offence and the offenders. Indeed, only a cursory of notable few armed robbery escapades and armed robbers are reviewed because the exact date when this form of contemporary armed robbery started, and all the seasoned (professional) armed robbers that have emerged either in any part of the cosmopolitan world, or in specific terms, Nigeria may never be correctly ascertained.