Violence among Nigerian Adolescents: A Threat to National Security

Abstract

Violence among adolescents or youths is a universal problem, and it is so serious that it can have negative effects on victims and their families, friends and communities.. It is a phenomenon which in practice has led to a near breakdown of law and order, low productivity due to disruption of production activities, increasing crime rate, intra-ethnic hostilities, and harassment of prospective developers and other criminal tendencies. These alarming incidences of youth violence provoke this paper to identify types of youth violence, causes, effects, counselling strategies and recommendations. In conclusion, effective counselling to youths could go a long way in curbing violence. The role of counselling in the management of behaviour cannot be neglected; this is because a counsellor is the only professionally trained person who possesses the personal and professional skills required in managing such behavioural problem.