SLUM SQUATTER SETTLEMENT AND URBAN SECURITY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Abstract

The sustainable development of any country of the world is largely dependent on her ability to contend with emerging social problems in the face of a competitive global economy, while ensuring the safety and well-being of citizens. For many decades, there has been an observable pattern of settlement of people of distinct demographic character, usually classified as either ‘rural’ or ‘urban’ - each having its peculiar implication for the economic growth and sustainable development of the polity, though not devoid of social problems. Hence, ‘ruralism’ and ‘urbanism’ constitute social phenomena. The implications of the tremendous explosion of urban settlement as well as the neglect and decadence of the rural areas are worrisome. The objective of this paper, therefore, is to determine the implication of the menace of rising slums, to the security of lives and properties of urban dwellers in Selected Cities of South-East Nigeria. In the light of the above, this study specifically examined the implication of slum squatter settlements to urban security in the fragile democracy. This study will help the government to strategically curtail the menace of slum squatter settlements as a contributing factor to rising insecurity in Nigerian urban areas. Data for this study were gathered from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were gathered from structured interviews with members of the aware publics, as well as observations. While secondary data were collected from reference materials such as textbooks, journals and official reports. Regression method was adopted to analyze the data generated for the study. Findings show that rural infrastructural deficits, unemployment and unplanned migration are largely responsible for the emergence and proliferation of slum squatter settlements in the urban areas. It recommends the need on the part of government, to create an enabling environment for economic activities to thrive, which will in turn absorb a significant population of urban dwellers, thereby stabilizing the economy.