YOUTH BULGE, RURAL BANDITRY AND UNGOVERNED SPACES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Contemporary Nigeria like most African states is challenged with problems associated with youth bulge that has affected her internal security negatively.  The paper examines the impact of youth bulge and rural banditry on Nigeria’s national security. It relied on documentary data as its methodology. It argued that the failure of the Nigerian state to harness potentials of her youths has exacerbated insecurity in the country most especially in the rural areas that hitherto use to be safest areas than urban cities. It recommends that the Federal as well as state governments must ensure that laws relating on demographic control be enacted or where it exists it should be enforced so as to reduce the level of youth bulge for effective planning and safety.