Nigerian Police Force and Fight Against Urban Crimes in Nigeria: Assessment of Socio-Economic Implications

: This study assessed the socio-economic implications of the fight against urban crimes in Nigeria by the Nigerian Police Force. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design and made use of both primary and secondary sources of data. The population of the study was the police men and women of the Force Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigerian Police Force State Commands in Imo, Lagos and Abuja numbering 165 (which also serves as sample population of the study). The study adopted the non-probability (judgmental) sampling technique; and the data collected through structured questionnaire instrument were presented and analyzed using frequency percentage and chi-square (X 2) statistical instrument of analysis. The study revealed a number of drivers of crimes in urban areas as well as the socio-economic implication of crimes in urban areas in Nigeria. Based on the revelations, the researchers recommended among others that there should be a very proactive and responsive security template for security outfits in Nigeria to ensure adequate safety of lives and properties within the country as it would go a long way in addressing the operational inefficiency and logistical challenges faced by Commands of the Nigeria Police Force in responding adequately to meet residents’ demand for security of their lives and properties.


INTRODUCTION
Nigeria is regarded as the most populous Black Country in the world housing over 200 million people scattered mostly in the country's urban areas.The country is a vibrant multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation and urban centres typically serve as the melting pot for this dynamism.Urban centres 30 often serve as the epicentres for socio-political activities and as a result, can often be blighted by the twin evil of crime and violence (Idemudia, 2005).Additionally, Nigerian urban centres are notoriously characterised by challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequitable distribution of wealth amongst their resident diverse populations (Onibokun and Faniran, 1995).This naturally results in anger, agitation and violent crimes against urban residents and the Nigerian state by some individuals and groups.
Nigeria has one of the highest crime rates in Sub-Saharan Africa (Pérouse de Montclos, 2016).Violent crimes within urban centres are commonplace in large cities like Lagos, Kano and Port-Harcourt.Murder often accompanies minor burglaries.Wealthy urban residents live in gated privately secured compounds because they can afford it (Idemudia, 2005).The Library of Congress Country Studies and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook (1991) reported that in the 1980s, serious crime grew to nearly epidemic proportions, particularly in Lagos and other cities characterised by rapid population growth, socio-cultural change and contrasting economic inequality, deprivation, and crippling public services (USCA, 2012).
In many urban areas of Nigeria today, criminal activities and violence such as murder, attempted murder; robbery; attempted robbery; kidnapping; attempted kidnapping; physical assault and domestic violence are assuming dangerous tendencies as they threaten lives and properties, the national sense of well-being and coherence, peace, social order and security, thus, reducing the quality of life of the citizens (Ahmed, 2012).At least, one of these crimes is committed on daily basis in Nigerian urban center, while in some cases the culprits are always at large, due to the exploded population growth of urban centers with millions of people.
The Nigerian police force is a security outfit of the Nigerian state established to combat crime and ensure security of lives and property of the citizenry.The Nigeria Police Force is the principal law enforcement and the lead security agency in Nigeria.However, experience over the years has shown that the force has lived below expectation in the fight against comes especially in the urban areas.Some of the reasons explaining this failure include corruption, delayed justice, impartiality among others.This has made the people to see the police as an enemy rather than a friend that has failed in curbing crimes in the country.According to the Nigeria Police Watch (2010), crimes reported in 2008 and 2009 across major urban cities in Nigeria has shown a significant increase, where property crime is in the lead, followed by crime against local acts, persons and then a crime against lawful authority.This tends to pin point to the fact that the role performance of the Nigerian Police Force in the fight against crimes in the country, especially the urban areas, is grossly low.

Statement of the Problem
This paper looked at the Nigerian Police Force and the role the force play in curbing the socioeconomic effect/cost of urban crime in Nigeria.The essence of the study is anchored on the incessant increase of crimes in Nigeria, with reference to the urban areas, mostly states/cities like Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Kaduna, Kano, Benue, Imo, Enugu, Kogi among others.This has remained a national issue of immense interest requiring urgent and sincere attention and response of the government at all levels and the pro-activeness of the country's security outfits in curbing its frequent occurrence in the country.Adebayo (2012) argued that the failure of the government and the security agencies, especially the Nigerian Police Force, in addressing the incessant crimes in the country has resulted in untold hardship, fear, loss of lives and property, and other socio-economic costs on both the people, the government and the society at large.Furthermore, the inability of the law enforcement agencies to squarely address this social ill has been complicated by the dearth of robust and reliable data on the incidence and impact of crime.Crime management institutions and actors do not have access to information on the number of incidents of crime, the number of deaths due to criminal violence, and the amount of property lost as a result of criminal violence.In general, crime statistics are extremely problematic, and Nigeria represents a case study of just how deceptive they can be.Official crime figures are much more problematic.They are generally based on police statistics, and the figures rely on cases that are reported to the police by the public.Unreported cases cannot be recorded, and there is genuine reason to believe a substantial volume of crime is not reported in Nigeria (Marc-Antoine, 2016).Making comparisons across jurisdictions is even more complicated, because the precise scale of under-reporting varies between cities.Those cities where the law enforcement agencies enjoy a good deal of public confidence are more likely to publish crime figures.
It is against this background that this paper tends to ask the following research questions -What are the drivers of crimes in urban areas in Nigeria?What are the socio-economic implications of crimes in urban areas in Nigeria?And what are the roles of the Nigerian Police Force in curbing urban crimes in the country?Therefore, in line with the raised research questions, the study aimed at achieving the following objectives -to identify the drivers of crime in urban areas in Nigeria; to examine the socioeconomic implication of crimes in urban area in Nigeria; and to assess the roles of the Nigerian Police Force in curbing urban crimes in Nigeria.In like manner, the raised null hypothesis of the research study predicts there are drivers of crimes in urban areas in Nigeria; there are socio-economic implication of crimes in urban areas in Nigeria; and there the roles of the Nigerian Police Force in curbing urban crimes in the country.

Conceptual Explanations
Crime -A crime is defined as 'an act that breaks the law in a particular society'.Crimes occur when social control fails within a society.A crime is "an intentional act or omission to act, committed without defense or justification, that endangers the public, as prohibited by the law, and is punished by the state".(Igbinovia, 2013).Crime by the Law of the Federal republic of Nigeria (FRN, 1999) is defined as "An act or omission which renders the person doing the act or making the omission liable to punishment under the criminal code, or any Act or Law".Tenibaje (2010) assessed crime to mean an act that violates the law of the society or serious offence against the law of the society for which there is a severe punishment by law.This means that crime is any culpable action or omission prohibited by law and punishable by the state.
Urban Area -This is an agglomeration of people that are organized around non-agricultural activities.An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment.cities, towns, conurbations or suburbs.In urbanism, the term "urban area" contrasts to rural areas such as villages and hamlets; in urban sociology or urban anthropology it contrasts with natural environment (Wikipedia, n.d) Nigerian Police Force -Historical Background,Roles, Functions and Duties According to Etannibi, Alemikaand Chuckwu (2006), like any other structure or institution, the Nigerian Police Force has a history.Its history in Nigeria particularly dates back to 1861 during colonial era, when the consul of Lagos colony established a consular guard of thirty members to watch over the colonial properties.This guard grew in size and was later known as the Hausa constabulary.This was because it was dominated by Northerners.In 1896 the Lagos police was established.A similar force was already formed in Calabar in 1894 known as the Niger Cost Constabulary.And in the North too, the Royal Niger Company set up Royal Niger Company Constabulary in 1888.In the early 1900's when the protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria were proclaimed, part of the Royal Niger Company constabulary became the Northern Nigeria Police and part of Nigeria Coast Constabulary became the Southern Nigeria Police.Although the South and North were amalgamated in 1914, their police forces were not merged until in 1930, with headquarters in Lagos.Alemika (2011) noted that during colonial period, most police were associated with local government (Native authorities).But by 1960's under the first Republic, these forces were regionalised and then nationalised.By this Nationalisation of the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police was in control of the general operation and administrative duties.He was supported at the headquarters by a deputy Inspector General and in each state by Police Commissioners.The 1999 constitution also provided for a Police Service Commission that is today responsible for Policy, organisation, administration and finance of the Nigerian police force.However,"pursuant to Section 214(1), of constitution of federal republic of Nigeria, a police force called Nigerian Police Force (NPF) was established.In section 21, subsection (1) 2, it was provided that "The Nigeria Police Force shall be under the command of the Inspector General of Police and any contingents of the Nigeria police force stationed in a state shall, subject to the authority of the Inspector General of police, be under the command of the commissioner of police of that state" ( Nnaeto, 2019) According to Yecho (2004), the Nigeria Police is statutoriry required to fight crime through detection, investigation, apprehension and prosecution of offenders in law court and the protection of lives and property through proactive policing.To Tinubu (1993) the place of police in Nigeria cannot be compromised.Their constitutional and statutory functions according to him are well defined so that the force can manage crisis situation, maintain peace and security.Tamuno (2013) further contended that the Police are one of the most ubiquitous organisations of the society.The policemen, therefore, happen to be the most visible representatives of the government.In an hour of need, danger, crisis and difficulty, when a citizen does not know what to do and whom to approach, the police station and a policeman happen to be the most appropriate and approachable unit and person for him.The police are expected to be the most accessible, interactive and dynamic organisation of any society.Their roles, functions and duties in the society are natural varied and multifarious on one hand; and complicated, knotty and complex on the other.However, the role and functions of the police in general as outline by Eigege (2006) are: 1) To uphold and enforce the law impartially, and to protect life, liberty, property, human rights, and dignity of the members of the public; 2) To promote and preserve public order; 3) To protect internal security, to prevent and control terrorist activities, breaches of communal harmony, militant activities and other situations affecting Internal Security; 4) To protect public properties including roads, railways, bridges, vital installations and establishments etc. against acts of vandalism, violence or any kind of attack; 5) To prevent crimes, and reduce the opportunities for the commission of crimes through their own preventive action and measures as well as by aiding and cooperating with other relevant agencies in implementing due measures for prevention of crimes; 6) To accurately register all complaints brought to them by a complainant or his representative, in person or received by post, e-mail or other means, and take prompt follow-up action thereon, after duly acknowledging the receipt of the complaint; 7) To register and investigate all cognizable offences coming to their notice through such complaints or otherwise, duly supplying a copy of the First Information Report to the complainant, and where appropriate, to apprehend offenders, and extend requisite assistance in the prosecution of offenders; 8) To create and maintain a feeling of security in the community, and as far as possible prevent conflicts and promote amity; 9) To provide, as first responders, all possible help to people in situations arising out of natural or man-made disasters, and to provide active assistance to other agencies in relief and rehabilitation measures; 10) To aid individual, who are in danger of physical harm to their person or property, and to provide necessary help and afford relief to people in distress situations; 11) To facilitate orderly movement of people and vehicles, and to control and regulate traffic on roads and highways; 12) To collect intelligence relating to matters affecting public peace, and all kind of crimes including social offences, communalism, extremism, terrorism and other matters relating to national security, and disseminate the same to all concerned agencies, besides acting, as appropriate on it themselves.
Buttressing further, n contemporary times, it appears there are growing efforts in ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the Police Force towards the maintenance of peace and security in Nigeria.For example, from the late 1990's to date, the Nigerian Police Force has embarked on several measures of fighting crime some of which includes: 1. Operation Sweep, 2. Operation Flush, 3. Operation Fire for Fire, 4. Anti-crime Patrol, 5. Operation Dzenda to mention a few have been introduced.
All these are efforts to ensure peace.However, as observed by Dauda(2008), it can be argued that these measures have not been able to attain the desired aims and objectives.In other words, the Nigerian Police Force has not fared well in the performance of its roles towards combating crimes in Nigeria, especially in the urban areas.This, therefore, calls for a critical examination of the roles of the Nigerian Police Force in order to assess its efficiency, effectiveness and service delivery towards peace and order in the society.The aim is to understand what contributions each of these measures have made towards ensuring peace and security.

Crimes in Urban Areas in Nigeria
As noted earlier, in many urban centers of Nigeria today, criminal activities and violence are assuming dangerous tendencies as they threaten lives and properties, the national sense of wellbeing and coherence, peace, social order and security, thus, reducing the quality of life of the citizens (Ahmed, 2010).At least, one of these crimes is committed on daily basis in Nigerian urban center, while in some cases the culprits are always at large, due to the exploded population growth of urban centers with millions of people.Out of all the crimes in Nigeria, robbery incidence is the highest with 27.3% (Robert, 2017).
However, according to Cohen (1995),there are broadly seven common types of crime described within sociology which are categorised by how the crime is committed and who the victim(s) (if any) .They are.a) Personal/violent crime: Personal crimes are crimes against a person, such as kidnapping, murder, rape, or assault.b) White-collar crime: White-collar crime is fraud often committed by businesses or business people to gain or avoid losing money, such as money laundering, mortgage fraud, or embezzlement.c) Property crime: Property crime is criminal activity directed at properties which don't involve harm to a person, such as arson, theft, or burglary.d) Organised crime: Organised crime is committed by a criminal group in an organised manner, such as terrorism, drug dealing, or sex trafficking.e) Victimless crime: Victimless crime is a crime that doesn't target another individual or property, such as drug-taking, or illegal gambling.
In recent years, sociologists have explored the idea of two other types of crime.These are recently named, as they come along with the growth of our postmodern society.They include Cybercrime and Green crime.Cybercrime is committed with the aid of a computer or internet-accessible device, and includes acts like hacking private documents, accessing child pornography, or stealing somebody's identity while Green crime is often committed by large corporate organisations.Pablo, Ledermanand Loayza(2002)define green crime as 'unjust exploitation of natural resources, ecosystems, humans and animals'.This includes pollution from economic exploitation, or creating a war that brings people into conflict and destroys the land on which it is fought.
However, with new developments happening in society, crime adapts too.Technological improvements in recent years have meant cybercrime is on the rise, with many new laws being introduced to combat it.Green crime has been committed more often too.However, this is harder to police as it is committed by powerful companies (Vaia, 2018).

Drivers of Crime in Urban Areas in Nigeria
1. Poverty, Migration and Unemployment: The incidences of poverty, unemployment and rural urban drift have contributed largely to the spate of criminal activities in Nigeria.Endemic poverty in the rural areas on the fringes of the city and across neighbouring states as a result of governments' neglect precipitates an unprecedented rural urban migration among the youths in urban areas.This has compounded by the increasing rates of youth unemployment in urban areas in Nigeria (Olalekan, 2020).
2. Proliferation of Shanty Settlements, Demolition and Displacement: Government demolitions have displaced hundreds of thousands of people in urban areas over the last decade which rendered millions of residents in urban areas homeless and provoked economic losses for many families.This structural disadvantage and social disorganisation have exacerbated the incidence of homelessness in the city and driven many young people to occupy obscure places which have further made them vulnerable to be recruited into criminal gangs (Robert, 2017).3. Population Upsurge: The factor of population upsurge as a driver of crime in urban areas is intricately connected to the incidences of poverty and unemployment amongst youths residing in rural areas.Neglected street children who have become victims of pervasive inequality in most Kano constitute vulnerable groups that are easily recruited into criminal gangs.The proliferation of street children is also linked to poor parenting and restricted family planning as a recipe for population control particularly in northern Nigeria.4. Weakened Family Structure and Breakdown of Value System: In urban areas in Nigeria, there is a conspicuous crack in the family system.There is a rising incidence of unstable marital relationships prevailing harsh socioeconomic forces have impacted negatively on the family structure as the basic unit of the community and a microcosm of the larger society.5. Increasing Wave of White Collar Criminals in Public Service: Public sector corruption helps to stimulate crime in urban areas.Recently Nigeria is witnessing a rising wave of financial scandals and corruption reporting about serving and former political office holders who loot the government treasuries (Federal and State) to the tune of billions of US Dollars.This degree of impunity manifesting by the corrupt officials is setting the tone for grievances and social discontents among the citizens and this is translating to a ticking bomb whereby aggrieved citizens might resort to pick arms against the state and corrupt officials.Apparently, this social malady is also communicating a wrong message to the youths to jettison the culture of transparency, accountability and probity in their quest for a means of livelihood (Kieghe, 2016).6. Uncontrolled Street Trading: Street trading on both the arterial roads and the highways is woven into the culture of daily life in urban areas in Nigeria.It is a trade plied by the poor lower class residents in the city in search of economic survival.However the menace of street trading has transformed to different strands of crime incidence in the state.It serves as an impetus for child abuse.Children under the age of 16 trade openly and widely on the traffic corridor.This exposes the female hawkers in particular to sexual assault by rapists.Armed robbers also masquerade as street hawkers to prey on unsuspecting commuters in the city (Onibokun, 2019).7. Drug Abuse: Higher rate of youth involvement in crime is deeply connected to substance abuse in urban areas in Nigeria.Moreover, alcohol and drug (Tramadol) consumption contribute to youths' propensity to engage in crime in the city.The consequences of uncontrolled consumption of alcohol and drug abuse have placed a significant burden on Nigeria's security sector (Eck, 1994).8. Small Arms and Light Weapons Trafficking: High rate of circulation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs) in urban areas made available to the youths by politicians in the quest for power acquisition by all means has had a considerable impact on peace and security and increased the incidence of organised crime in the country at large (Ellis, 2016).9. Radicalisation and Violent Extremism in Neighbouring Communities: Religious intolerance, fundamentalism and extremism, disruptive modes of worship by the two main religions (Christianity and Islam), disparaging preaching and stereotyping, proselytizing, religious marginalisation and sensationalism in media reporting are used to fuel tension and associated crime in urban centres in Nigeria.10.Unbridled Agitation for Environmental Justice and Proliferation of Arms: Across all oil producing states of the Niger Delta region, agitation for environmental, economic and social justice has given rise to the emergence of several splinter groups.These groups have also mushroomed from the region perpetrating violent crimes such as oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism, armed robbery and kidnapping occasioned, for instance, in the administrative headquarters of Rivers State -the city of Port Harcourt has born the burden of the nefarious activities of these sinister groups more than any other city in the Niger Delta Region.

Socio-economic Implications of Crimes in Urban Areas in Nigeria
Crime is a major part of every society and Nigeria is not an exception.The cost of crime captures the effects of crime on people (Agbola, 1997).In some literature, it is referred to as the economics of crime and covers the effects of crime on people and society at large.Crime costs are numerous and can sometimes be difficult or even impossible to quantify due to practical challenges or nonavailability of relevant data.Brand and Price (2000) categorised costs of crime into three 3 major groups.These include: Cost in anticipation of crime; Cost as a consequent of crime; and Cost in response to crime.Cost in anticipation of crime falls mainly on potential victims.It is incurred when urban residents pay for installations of security measures because of the expectation of crime victimisation.Cost as a consequence of crime is incurred mainly by the actual victims.The cost manifests particularly in terms of property loss and damages.Cost in response to crime according to Brand and Price (2000) is the cost that falls mainly on the criminal justice system.
Broadly, crimes's costs and effects touch just about everyone to some degree.The types of costs and effects are widely varied.In addition, some costs are short-term while others last a lifetime.Of course the ultimate cost is loss of life.Other costs to victims can include medical costs, property losses, and loss of income (Welsh, David and Lawrence, 2001).
Losses to both victims and none victims, according to Gray (1979), can also come in the form of increased security expenses including stronger locks, extra lighting, parking in more expensive secure lots, security alarms for homes and cars, and maintaining guard dogs.Considerable money is spent to avoid being victimized.Other types of expenses can include a victim or person fearful of crime moving to a new neighborhood, funeral expenses, legal fees, and loss of school days.
Some costs of crime are less tangible (not easily or precisely identified).Felson (1998) contended that these kinds of costs can include pain and suffering, and a lower quality of life.There are also the traumatic impacts on friends and the disruption of family.Behavior can be forever changed and shaped by crime, whether it be weighing the risks of going to certain places or even the fear of making new friends.
Crime not only affects economic productivity when victims miss work, but communities also are affected through loss of tourism and retail sales.Even the so-called victimless crimes of prostitution, drug abuse, and gambling have major social consequences.Drug abuse affects worker productivity, uses public funds for drug treatment programs and medical attention, and leads to criminal activity to support the expenses of a drug habit (Anderson, 1999).
Arguing further, Cook and Jens (2000) noted that Communities and governments spend public funds for police departments, prisons and jails, courts, and treatment programs, including the salaries of prosecutors, judges, public defenders, social workers, security guards, and probation officers.The amount of time spent by victims, offenders, their families, and juries during court trials also take away from community productivity.
However, on a general note, the socio-economic effect of crimes on urban areas in Nigeria are organised into the following categories indicated in table 1 below:

Research Design
The descriptive survey design was employed in the study.Descriptive survey design is one in which a group of people or items are studied by collecting and analyzing data from only a few people or items considered to be representative of the entire group (Nworgu, 2015).Since data were collected, organized and analyzed from group of teachers in senior secondary school, descriptive survey is the best to be employed.

Sources of Data
The researcher used two major sources of data in this research work viz: primary and secondary sources of data.The primary data were derived from the questionnaire administered on the police men and women of the Enugu State Police Command, Enugu State.While, the secondary data were sourced textbooks, newspaper, magazines and seminar papers, journals and other unpublished papers such as notes and projects.Also government publications at various levels relevant for the secondary data were used.The researcher visited many libraries and websites to collect the secondary data for the study.

Population of the Study
The population of interest of this study comprised of selected police men and women of the Force Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigerian Police Force State Commands in Imo, Lagos and Abuja numbering 165.The table of the population is given below:

Sample and Sampling Technique
The researcher made use of the entire population of the study as the sample of the population due to the small number sizes of the selected police men and women of the Force Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigerian Police Force State Commands in Imo, Lagos and Abuja.
The non-probability (judgmental) sampling technique was use in the study by the researcher as the sample members were chosen only on the basis of the researcher's knowledge, opinion and judgment on the premise of the work experience, length of service and training of the selected police men and women of the Force Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigerian Police Force State Commands in Imo, Lagos and Abuja.

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
In this section the result of data collected was presented, analyzed and discussed in accordance with the research questions and hypotheses posed for the study.The interpretation of the exercise was also made to arrive at the findings of the research work.The research questions were presented and analyzed using frequency and percentage and in a Likert scale point while the hypotheses were tested with chi-square (X2) at significant level of 0.05.However, it is important to note that a total of one hundred and sixty five (165) copies of the questionnaire to the selected police men and women of the five-rank categories making up the Force Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigerian Police Force State Commands in Imo, Lagos and Abuja.One hundred and thirty-two (132) copies were returned representing 80% of the total distributed copies of the questionnaire; thirty-three (33) were not returned representing 20% of the total distributed copies.Out of the returned copies twelve (12) copies were condemned for improper completion by the respondents representing 1% of the total distributed and total returned copies.The remaining one hundred and twenty (120) copies were used for the analysis, representing 73% of the total distributed and total return copies respectively.Efforts made to recover the unreturned copies proved abortive.
Research Question 1: What are the drivers of crime in urban areas in Nigeria?  4 above showed that 320 (38.1%) respondents strongly agreed that the socio-economic implication of crimes in urban areas in Nigeria include -violence with injury offences, loss of life, increased government expenses on security, emotional distress and psychological depression and anxiety, loss of money and possessions, loss of employment, malicious accessment of personal information among others.297 (35.4%) of the respondents agreed, 138 (16.4%) disagreed and 85 (10.1%) strongly disagreed.5 showed that 352 (59%) of the respondents strongly agreed that the roles of the Nigerian Police Force in fighting crime in Nigeria include -detection of crime, investigation of crime, apprehension of criminals, prosecution of offenders in law court, protection of lives and property through proactive policing among other.177 (29.5%) of the respondents agreed, 63 (10.5%) disagreed and 35 (5.8%) strongly disagreed.

Test of Hypothesis
Hypothesis One: Hypothesis one seeks to know if there are drivers of crime in urban areas in Nigeria   Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected and the alternative hypothesis three which stated that there are roles of the Nigerian Police Force in fighting crime in Nigeriais accepted which indicated that there are roles of the Nigerian Police Force in fighting crime in Nigeria.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Urban areas in Nigeria are the engines of growth and development with nearly half of the country's total population residing in cities. Threats emanating from urban crime exert pressure on urban residents and livelihoods on one hand and on the other hand, the immense financial burden on the government at all levels, mapping out huge public funds as expenditure for the Nigerian Police Force and other security outfits in fighting crimes in the country, especially in urban areas.A host of crime facilitators have been identified and discussed.Some of these include poverty, population mobility, an impenetrable labour market, endemic drug abuse, small arms and light weapons trafficking, incessant political violence coupled with population upsurge among others.Consequently, the continued existence of these crime facilitators is as a result of these notable security challenges in the countrysystemic failure of governance; diminishing public trust in the police, weak enforcement of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act; connivance of state security actors with vandals and some measure inter-agency rivalry among different law enforcement institutions among others.
Based on this, the work, therefore, recommends the following as measures in addressing the socioeconomic effect of crime in urban areas in Nigeria: i.There should be a very proactive and responsive security template for security outfits in Nigeria to ensure adequate safety of lives and properties within the country.This would go a long way in addressing the operational inefficiency and logistical challenges faced by Commands of the Nigeria Police Force in responding adequately to meet residents' demand for security for their lives and properties.ii.There should be intense co-opted community policing in Nigeria as an approach to policing with home-grown solutions to notable violent crimes (terrorism and insurgency, ritual killings/murder, kidnapping, gang violence and rape among others coupled with lesser forms of criminality) which Nigerians have been experiencing over the years.Community Policing offers a way for the law enforcement stakeholders and community members to work together to resolve problems that exist in their immediate communities within the country.iii.There should be the establishment of Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) in every state of the federation to provide a second layer of policing in order to ensure that the state and communities are more secure; and tocomplement the Nigerian Police Force especially in areas of community policing.iv.States governments and local government councils in Nigeria should adopt community organising approach via mobilising the resources (particularly man-power) from their communities to prevent or reduce crime across the country.The leadership of the communities should rally the support of home owners association across the neighbourhoods to hold security dialogues, employ night guards, construct barricades and embark on vigilante watch at both day and night in order to improve the security architecture of their communities among others.

4. 3
Research Question 3: What are the roles of the Nigerian Police Force in fighting crime in Nigeria?
Number of Row in the contingency table; C = Number of columns in the contingency table.Therefore, R= 7, C =4 df = (5-1) (4-1) = 4 x 3 = 12; therefore, df = 12 If 0.05 level of significance at 12 degree of freedom, the critical value X 2 otherwise called chi-square tabulated (X 2 tab) is given as = 21.026Computation of chi-square (X2) X2 = ∑(0 − e)2 e Where O = Observed frequency, e = Expected frequency Expected frequency (e) is giving by RT X CT GT Where RT = Row total; CT = Colum total; and GT = Grand total

Table 3above
showed that 279(46.5%)respondents strongly agreed that the drivers of crime in urban areas in Nigeria include -poverty, migration and unemployment, proliferation of shanty settlements, demolition and displacement, weakened family structure and breakdown of value system, population upsurge, radicalisation and violent extremism in neighbouring communities among others.161 (26.8%) of the respondents agreed, 66 (11%) of the respondents disagreed and 94 (15.6%) of the respondents strongly disagreed.

Calculated value = 27.81; Critical Value = 28.87
Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected and the alternative hypothesis two which stated thatthere are socio-economic implication of crimes in urban areas in Nigeriais accepted which indicated that there are socio-economic implication of crimes in urban areas in Nigeria.Hypothesis Three: Hypothesis three seeks to know if there are roles of the Nigerian Police Force in fighting crime in Nigeria.