The research project was carried out in Ngor Okpala L.G.A of Imo State on the problem of youth unemployment and rural crime. The research is aimed at providing vivid and extensive insight on a wide range of the fundamental aspects of youth unemployment and rural crime. In this light very decisive steps were taken to analyse as possible all manner of issues enshrined in the study and understanding of the problems of unemployment and rural crimes in the lives of Ngor Okpala youth. In carrying out this study survey research design was used. Four research questions and hypothesis were formulated. The sample of 150 males and females was selected by probability random sampling techniques. The instruments for the study where the interview method and questionnaire containing nineteen open question, which were validated by the supervisor, the mothers were the respondents. The analysis of data was by use of frequency tables, percentages and chi-square. The major findings of the study were:

Youth unemployment and armed robbery are related.

There is a relationship between youth unemployment and drug abuse.

The unemployment situation is the brain behind burglary in Ngor Okpala

Rural unemployment leads to youth gambling.

The government should provide job opportunities and also ensure an equitable distribution of resources. The gap between the rich and the poor can be narrowed by creating employment opportunities for the citizens, provision of cheap food and shelter and ensuring that education is no longer a privilege but a right in these rural areas.

2) Achieving industrialization by establishing many industries in rural areas of Ngor Okpala, this will create more employment opportunities and reduce the high rate of rural crime.

3) Social amenities should be provided to rural areas especially in this area of study (the people of Ngor Okpala) because this is also a way of creating jobs and it will make many school leavers in the area to accept to work and reside in their rural homes without thinking about committing crimes.

4) There are empty lands in Ngor Okpala, what the government needs to do is to use them to encourage labour-oriented industries, production in the industries that will be established in order to achieve industrialization in our societies should be made labour-intensive instead of total use of machines. By so doing it will create an avenue for the rural youth to get employment and the rate of crime will be reduced.

5) Restructuring our educational system, pre-vocational courses like mechanics, electronics, woodwork, metal work, etc should be taught; these will make our educational products to be job-creators instead of job-seekers.

6) The government should ensure that there is equal distribution of wealth, political participation, economic activities and resources because there is a saying that “what is good for the goose is also good for the gander”. They should ensure that development is a multifaceted thing and not a one sided phenomena, the rural areas should be recognized to avoid crimes.

7) Most rural areas especially Ngor Okpala is traditionally based on agriculture and they take agriculture as their source of economy. So, the government should make agriculture more attractive. This can be done by developing agriculture and those in it should earn more wages, salaries so that it can attract the youth and at least create rooms for more jobs and the high rate of rural crime will be a thing of the past in Ngor Okpala LGA of Imo State.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page……………………………………………………....

Certification………………………………………………………………i

Dedication………………………………………………………………..ii

Acknowledgement……………………………………………………...iii

Abstract…………………………………………………………………..iv

Table of Contents……………………………………………………….v

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Background to the problem…………………………………..1

1.2 Statement of the problem……………………………………..2

1.3 Purpose of Study/Objectives…………………………………6

1.4 Research Question………………………………………………7

1.5 Research Hypotheses……………….………………………….7

1.6 Significance of Study…………………………………………..8

CHAPTER TWO

2.1 Conceptual Clarification: Rural Area 10

Rural crime 10

Types of rural crime 11

2.2 Unemployment 13

Youth unemployment and crime 15

Types of youth unemployment 20

Effects of youth unemployment and rural 22

Solution to unemployment and rural crime 24

2.3 Theoretical orientation/framework 27

The Marxian theory of economic determinism 28

The differential opportunity 29

Marxist theory of unemployment 31

Theoretical frame work 32

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Scope of Study 37

3.2 Research Design 38

3.3 Sample Size 38

3.4 Sample technique 39

3.5 Data Collection technique 39

3.6 Data Analysis Technique 40

3.7 Limitation of Study 41

3.8 Definition of Terms 43

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND

INTERPRETATION

4.1 Data Presentation and Analysis 45

4.2 Testing of Hypothesis 68

4.2.1 Testing of Hypothesis one 69

4.2.2 Testing of Hypothesis two 72

4.2.3 Testing of Hypothesis three 77

4.2.4 Testing of Hypothesis four 80

4.3 Discussion of Research Findings 84

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND

RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Summary 87

5.2 Conclusion 89

5.3 Recommendation 91

Bibliography 95

Questionnaire 100

Appendix

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM

The problem of youth unemployment and rural crime has over the years become an Area of interest and great concern to most nations of the world. It is the intention of this nations to completely eliminate or at least minimize youth unemployment and rural crime in their various nations.

The menace of youth unemployment in Nigeria could be said to a recent occurrence because in the pre-colonial days great value and dignity was attached to labour as a means of acquiring wealth but now the end justifies the means. Even if unemployment existed it was not the intractable problem it is today.

According to Balogun (2010:82), he opined that of Nigerian’s 150 million population 40 million are unemployed. As 45% of the population is between the ages of 15 to 40 years this means unemployment mainly affect the youth. The Nigeria ruling class is incapable of solving this problem, only the working class can take on the task of eradicating youth unemployment and rural crime

Balogun (2010), argued that it is estimated that over 3 trillion naira has been spent since 2003 just to combat youth unemployment and rural crime. The question is where has this money gone and why does the menace still persist to solve the problem, the government buy a few thousand pepper grinding machines or five thousand bikes and distributes these to hungry youths numbering millions. These methods gives rise to massive corruption and provide room for political patronage. This methods also has been used for close to 10 years now and what has it been able to achieve or deliver?

With the extent of human and national resources Nigeria possesses, she ought not to know any poverty, let alone this extent of youth unemployment and rural crime.

According to Chigunta (2002:89) these large-scale unemployment among youths is encouraging the development of street youths in Nigeria. the street youths, denied of legitimate means of livelihood, grow up in a culture that encourages criminal behavior in rural and urban areas where they engages in various activities such as petty trading, casual work, stealing, pick pocketing prostitution, touting and other illegal activities.

Ngor Okpala is a local government area of Imo state Nigeria, its head quarters are in the town of Umuneke Ngor. It has an area of 56Ikm and a population of 159,932 at the 2006 census. Ngor-Okpala is a notable place in Imo state because of her locational position. Ngor Okpala is the largest local government in Imo state and one of the largest in Nigeria.

Ngor is the fastest developing local government in Imo state. Ngor Okpala is blessed with natural mineral resources which has not been tapped. This prominent status of Ngor Okpala as a state local government Areas and its consequent of population explosion and the problems of youth unemployment and rural crime makes it unique for this study.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Youth unemployment and rural crime has been a threatening menace in Ngor Okpala as a whole, thus it has became necessary to give full attention as regards how to curb this ugly trend. With over 40 million Nigeria youth effectively unemployed in a population of 150 million, no doubt Nigeria has one of the highest youth unemployment in the figure of the world despite her economic potential. This situation clearly reveals its social essence when we consider it against the fact that Nigeria has 45% of her population between the ages of 15-45 years and due to the extremely low life expectancy of 45 years.

However, Nigerian youth are the hardest hit by this menace of employment. With this figures in mind, it does not need the wisdom of Solomon to clearly understand why there is so much crime, spates of kidnapping, youth unrest and most significantly an extremely unstable social economic structure that has hitherto been bedeviling Nigeria with particular reference to Ngor Okpala.

It is one of the major social problems facing all societies in Ngor Okpala. It creates and perpetuates poverty and frustration and even aids uneven distribution of national wealth.

Moreso, it also contributes to low productivity and lack of economic growth it gradually contribute to increase in the level of crime and other anti-social behaviour in the communities and societies especially in Ngor Okpala local government of Imo State. As a result of unemployment the youth went into different rural crimes like robbing cars on roads leading to different villages in the local government.

Nevertheless, in my community Umuhu in Ngor Okpala local government there are recent cases of unemployed youths who engage in crimes like drug abuse and intake of marijuana, and this motivates them to unleash havoc on innocent villagers . Also, they go ahead to steal domestic animals and disrupt rural market in disguised theft. There are also reported cases of these individuals raping young innocent girls and also committing incest taboo and other abominable acts.

Consequently, the above is against the culture of the people of Umuhu community and Ngor Okpala local government of Imo State. This menace known as youth unemployment and rural crime is potentially dangerous as it sends disturbing signal to all segment of Ngor Okpala local government area of Imo State and Nigeria at Large.

1.3 PURPOSES OF STUDY/OBJECTIVES

(i) This study generally investigate the problems of youth unemployment and rural crime with particular reference to Ngor Okpala local government of Imo State.

(ii) To describe the extent of youth unemployment and crime in Ngor Okpala local government of Imo State.

(iii) To determine crimes that are traceable to unemployment.

(iv) To examine the strategies employed by the government in combating the problems of youth unemployment and rural crime in the location of study as well as the effectiveness of control mechanism employed.

(v) To proffer solution and recommendation to the problems of youth unemployment and rural crime in Ngor Okpala local government of Imo State.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION

(i) What is the truth of the assertion that more youths in the society especially in Ngor Okpala take to crime because of unemployment?

(ii) How tenable is it to say that unemployment increases crime in Ngor Okpala?

(iii) Is it tenable to assert that crime is a function of economic situation like unemployment in Ngor Okpala local government of Imo State?

(iv) What is the truth of the assertion that youth unemployment is a function of economic imbalance in Nigeria with particular reference to Ngor Okpala?