EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 CURTAILMENT MEASURES ON CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA

Abstract

COVID-19 ushered in a new pattern of social living as governments across the globe sought out ways to contain the spread of the viral pandemic. Notable among the measures adopted by the government of Nigeria is the lockdown policy. Following the Routine Activities theory, this study examined criminal victimization in Nigeria during the period of COVID-19 pandemic using a qualitative approach. Findings indicate that criminal victimization lessened at the onset of the lockdown measure; however, trends in criminal victimization kept oscillating as the lockdown persisted. The pattern of crime found to be prevalent are human right abuses by law enforcement agents, domestic crimes, white collar crime and pen robbery such as mismanagement of funds donated by well spirited individuals and corporate bodies by some government agents, profiteering and advanced fee fraud amongst others. We also found that following the changes in social living, corruption became rife in Nigeria. The study concludes that there is need for implementation of community policing in Nigeria as the bulk of policing returned to the people during the pandemic period.