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CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

1.1    Background of the Study

Political thuggery has become one of the major problems of democracy in Africa generally. The social, political and economic powers of the sponsors of this menace have made it both national and international concern. Political thugs who are often recruited and trained for various purposes including intimidation, harassment, abduction, assassination, maiming and violence; carrying arms without hindrance. Many of them are even entitled to police escorts and a significant number of them are also placed under regular salaries as special Advisers, Special Assistants and Personal Assistants. Mbaya (2013) posit that, Nigeria in recent times have been in the news for the increasing rate of political violence which has occurred in different parts of the country. Many incidence of the same kind happening in Taraba State, suffered that led to death of many people during election (Asaju, 2015). The manipulation of results both at the federal, states and even local governments levels is government imposed on the people by the scandalous use of a mixture of political thuggery and wide-scale bribery (Olagunju, 1993:5) Thuggerry has become an integral part of democratic election in Nigeria. The situation in Taraba State is not different. In fact with only some improvement in the 2015 general elections, political thuggery had almost become the “order of the day” in Taraba State since the advent of the fourth republic in 1999 (collins,2001). The situation grew worse especially during the 2003, 2007, 2011and 2015 general elections. Political thugs are “legally” assigned with arms for political purposes. It was regrettable that after the election, most of the thugs were abandoned by the politicians after being used for their political power just in the name to rig election ,their political fathers could not recover the arms distributed to them ,the thug in turn used it for  robbery, kidnapping, assassinations, murder, among other crimes because they were already exposed to money and unnecessary spending attitudes, it increased violent crimes especially in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State. The crime situation in Local Government area social order and solidarity which undermined the corporate existence of the local Government Area and even the entire state as an entity. More worrisome of the problem is the perceived involvement of Government officials in the sponsorship of some of these activities (Abekhale, 2012). It thus becomes difficult to call on the same people to the rescue of victims (Abekhale and Tor-Anyiin, 2013). Recently amnesty programme of the state Government proclaimed from June to September 2015, Wukari local Government was being deserted by inhabitants due to incessant case of armed robbery, political assassination, murder, kidnapping, among other crimes. Cases of robbery, especially on the roads such as Takum Wukari roads, (Ato, 2015). Ahmed (2014) argues that Nigeria may be heading to anarchy if the trend in political thuggery and violent crimes is allowed to continue. It is against this background that this study seeks to assess the spate of political thuggery and increasing violent crimes in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba state.

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