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@article{208090,
        author = {Dr. Kelvin Meyeyin Bala},
        title = {Kidnapping and Human Security in Ondo State, Nigeria: An Empirical Assessment of Causes, Consequences, and Institutional Responses},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {4},
        pages = {538-546},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=208090},
        abstract = {Kidnapping has become a persistent security menace in Ondo State Nigeria, constituting a grave threat to human security and instigating obstinate chaos in local communities. This study aimed at revealing how kidnapping instigates human security in Ondo State. Its promoting factors, socio-economic and socio-psychological repercussions, law-enforcement efficacies and modifications across various facets of security were examined. A Cross-sectional mixed method research design was employed. A set of structured questionnaires was used to gather information from 280 valid respondents (out of 302 administered questionnaires; 93% response rate) in the three selected local government councils of Akure North, Akoko South-East and Akoko North-East while 20 key informants’ interviews were conducted among security officials, community leaders and constituents of victims in Ondo State. The Structural-Functionalist theory of state stability as well as the Frustration-Aggression theory of violence formation were used to focus the research. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and the Pearson Correlation test while qualitative data was analysed thematically. The findings were that corruption, youth unemployment, ineffective law enforcement agents, poverty and state infiltration by non-indigenes as well as local agency (community) collaboration were the topmost promoting factors of kidnapping in Ondo State. Disruption of agriculture, reverse of trade and commerce, scaling down in mobility and generally higher costs of living were the socio-economic ramifications. Correlation test showed statistically significant positive relationships between kidnapping and the economic (r = 0.577), food (r = 0.621), health (r = 0.726), transportation (r = 0.555) and general (r = 0.227) human security indices (p < 0.01). Community-based ranks of Amotekun enjoyed fairly high trust among Ondo State indigenes while the police and army were severely hamstrung by inadequate logistics, infrastructural deficits and weak prosecutorial follow-up. The paper recommends popular community-based youth empowerment programmes, community policing, application of surveillance technology, judicial reform, strict regulation of the Nigeria border and cross-agency collaboration to boost human security in Ondo State.},
        keywords = {human security; kidnapping: Ondo State; Nigeria; frustration-aggression theory; structural functionalism; correlation analysis},
        month = {September},
        }