ASSESSMENT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AS A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY IN ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL FCT, ABUJA, NIGERIA

Abstract

The security architecture of many countries including Nigeria was badly challenged by the Corona virus pandemic in the greater part of 2020. Nigeria's weak security situation provided a safe haven for criminally minded persons to carry out their nefarious activities. Though crimes such as kidnapping, rape, armed robbery, internet fraud and Ponzi schemes, food insecurity and inadequate health facilities have bedeviled the Nigerian state for sometimes now, their occurrences were in the increase following a lockdown orders imposed by government to flatten the curve of COVID-19. The abuse of human rights and killings of innocent citizens are other security concerns that Nigerians had to contend with. To this end, this study examines the security threats arising from the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic on the residents of Abuja Municipal Area Council of the FCT. The study adopts structural functionalism as its framework of analysis. Sources were drawn from primary and secondary data. The findings of the study revealed that there is significant relationship between COVID-19 pandemic and security threats on the residents of Abuja Municipal Area Council of the FCT. Poverty, unemployment, weak and poorly funded military establishments as the causes of the unabating security concerns. The Paper therefore recommends among others that strong and good governance is needed if Nigeria and AMAC authority must provide passable security for her citizens. Creation of employment opportunities and the adequate training and funding of law enforcement's agencies is most urgently needed than ever.