Abstract
Nigeria is home to a thriving contradiction. Here is a country that celebrates its aspirations to greatness—economic success, food security, accountable governance, territorial integrity, internal security, and improved living standards—sabotaging its young and vibrant population. A pseudo-welfarist democracy, Nigeria's young vibrant 'human capital'—the potentially productive portion of its population—must contend with gross insufficiencies, maladministration, corruption, and intimidation in state-owned and administered facilities. In public infrastructure—stable electricity, good roads, and clean drinking water—and public institutions—schools, hospitals, government agencies, and the security outfits—lies a deep and spreading rot; an insufficiency, inefficiency, and inconsistency that constantly mocks any such aspirations to lofty heights. Hence it is reticent euphemism when it is suggested that the odds are stacked high against the Nigerian youth, especially when we add limited employment opportunities to the possibility of being randomly picked-up, harassed, robbed, maimed, or killed by 'rogue' agents of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the branch of the Nigeria Police (NP) allegedly set up to check the rampant robbery incidents through discrete operations.
Recommended Citation
Falola, Toyin
(2020)
"SARS and the Nigerian Youth: Odors from a Decaying System,"
Journal of African Policy Studies: Vol. 26:
No.
1, Article 5.
Available at:
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/joaps/vol26/iss1/5