Impact of Violence and Terrorism on Good Governance in Nigeria

Abstract

The delivery of good governance in Nigeria is characterised with violence and terrorism since post-independence, these problems persist due to the internal contradictions inherent in the environment, which is obvious in the manner they allocate resources, policy implementation and traditional values. With the high level of violence and terrorism in the environment, the result is negative impact on political institutions and the administrators’ performance. The citizens expect the government to provide their needs through their representatives. The higher the expectations, the more their frustration grow higher. When good governance is near success and the dividends of democracy are not delivered as expected, these could lead to citizens developing apathy towards the government and political alienation. In finding solutions to this problem, this paper tends to find out the reasons violence and terrorism persists and hinders good governance in Nigeria, good governance and possible hindrances to its effective delivery, the prerequisites of good governance, the rationale behind violence and terrorism in the system, and to suggest a way for a proper democratic practice and objective of good governance so as to minimise violence and terrorism in the polity.