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American Journal of  
Geospatial Technology (AJGT)

Combating the Threat of  Crime in the Security of  the Bauchi Local 
Government Area Using Geospatial Technology

Victor Fredrick1*, M. A. Modibbo1, K. F. Aleem1

Volume 1 Issue 2, Year 2022
ISSN: 2833-8006 (Online)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajgt.v1i2.1438
https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajgt

Article Information ABSTRACT

Received: March 14, 2023

Accepted: April 03, 2023

Published: April 07, 2023

The dynamics of  crime and its nature expose the State to the security threat. The types of  
criminal activities perpetrated within the communities, including armed robbery, kidnapping, 
and car and motorcycle snatching, are rapidly increasing. These crimes have” threatened 
security in Bauchi Local Government and hence the need to check by providing relevant 
information using modern technology. The geospatial technique combined with the Key 
Informant Interview approach was adopted to evaluate the intensity of  insecurity in Bauchi 
LGA; from the data collected and analysed, it was established that criminal activities are 
increasing in various areas leading to the rapid increase in crime hotspots. As a result, 
the security agency needs to improve the nature of  its functionality in combating crimes. 
Despite the fact that 70.35% of  the security agency outpost are functional while 29.62% of  
the Outpost are non-functional, the security agency recorded 1081 crimes in 2020, which 
increased to 1142 crimes in 2021 and 1640 in 2022. Also, looking at the 645,000-population 
density of  Bauchi LGA and the ratio of  security personnel to individuals of  1:3581, which 
need to meet the United Nations standard of  a ratio of  1:450. Given this, it was recommended 
that the State create job opportunities and skill acquisition training for unemployed youth 
roaming the streets. The security agency needs to develop a new strategy for combatting the 
security threat using geospatial technology and frequent production of  security threat maps 
and their mitigation.

Keywords
Crime, Safety and Security, 
Bauchi LGA, 

1 Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria 
* Corresponding author’s e-mail: victorfredrickache@gmail.com

INTRODUCTION
Crime is any unlawful act of  deliberate omission which 
constitutes an offense punishable by a state or other 
authority. Crime may constitute a danger, violence or 
threats to the life and properties of  the populace. The 
criminal activities are numerous and include but are not 
limited to Human slaughter, armed robbery, kidnapping, 
drug trafficking, car and motorcycle snatching and other 
offenses specified by the State. The rise in criminal 
activities worldwide has been a thing of  concern. The 
resultant effect of  such activities has led to deterioration 
in the environment, human development and a shortage 
in food security. However, new concerns about this value 
as well as the current prevalence of  security difficulties 
directly affecting society, have pushed it to the top of  
the safety priority list. In the previous years, there has 
been a significant increase in violent conflict and crimes 
in various settings, including towns, farms, streets, road 
businesses, places of  worship, and homes. Surprisingly, 
institutions of  learning are not left out. The prevalence 
of  this violence is not unique to Nigeria but is a global 
problem (UNICEF, 2015). 
According to Eme and Anthony (2011), it is no longer 
news that Nigeria is vulnerable to a variety of  security 
threats, including assassinations, electoral violence, youth 
militancy in the Niger Delta, oil theft, kidnapping and 
hostage-taking, the National Union of  Road Transport 
Workers (NURTW) crisis, and the Boko Haram crisis in 
the North (Albert, 2013). Communities are no longer 
secure for people in some parts of  the country, following 

the recent crime perpetrated, such as stealing property and 
kidnapping and adopting people. Failure to address and 
tackle this threat results in ensuring that the development 
agenda through the education goal of  Nigeria never sees 
the light of  day. The rationale is not far-fetched: efficient 
learning can only occur in a safe, secure, and supportive 
atmosphere (Aly & Chris, 2021).
According to the Vanguard News (August 15, 2021), 
abduction for ransom had steadily become the norm of  
the day in Nigeria since April 2014 when Boko Haram 
militants snatched 276 schoolgirls from their dormitories 
in Chibok, Borno State of  Nigeria. The research 
confirmed by police and eyewitness accounts eventually 
reported by the media indicates that 111 kidnappings 
occurred in Nigeria between January and mid-August 
2021. This is alarming
In recent years, Nigeria and its northern region have 
faced various security challenges: stealing, kidnapping 
and adoption by bandits, violent extremism organisations 
(VEO) and terror groups motivated by money). Bauchi 
LGA is not an exception in this, given the trend in the 
kidnapping and adoption case of  Abubakar Sadiq on 
April 2nd, 2019. A 15 years old boy who was adopted by 
their neighbour in Bauchi Town and demanded ramson 
but was later killed, and Adamu Muhammad (popularly 
known as Yaya) March 25th, 2020, who happened to 
be the Governor’s elder brother and other kidnapping 
incidents that occurred between September and October 
2021. The tragedy of  Hanifa Abubakar, kidnapped on 
December 5th, 2021, for ransom and ultimately slain by 

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her Teacher, was a viral story on social media. So also 
other stories of  kidnapping and abduction. However, 
most kidnappings and abduction incidents go unreported. 
Richard (2021) states that around 10–20% of  such 
incidents are reported, while the remaining 80–90% are 
not documented. Bauchi metropolitan relies on security 
agencies to offer optimum protection in its particular area 
by sending troops around. In the recent kidnapping and 
robbery situations, the presence of  security guards is felt 
after the incident rather than during it.
According to a report released on December 17th, 
2021, by SBM Intelligence, an average of  13 persons 
were abducted every day in Nigeria in the first half  of  
2021, highlighting how prevalent and daring the criminal 
conduct has become. This discovery comprised six 
geopolitical zones: South-West, Southeast, South-South, 
North-Central, North-East, and North-West, as well as 
the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja. The pattern 
of  abduction remained consistent in the North, where 
victims were frequently abducted in large numbers from 
rural communities and schools. The mass kidnapping of  
highway commuters has emerged as another operation 
model used by increasingly daring shooters.
According to investigations, state and federal governments 
have strongly criticised the attack following each mass 
abduction, with vows to free abductees. Without a clear 
strategy for combating the problem, which has expanded 
throughout the country, authorities and individuals pay 
large sums to kidnappers (Ford et al., 2015). With the 
rise in security threats, geospatial techniques and Key 

Informant Interviews are catch-all terms for various 
approaches that security agencies can use to map and 
analyse the distribution of  security personnel across 
an area and crime hotspots and monitor the security 
challenges in a location of  interest. 
Geospatial Technique is a combination of  Geographic 
Information Systems and Remote Sensing technology. 
GIS is a set of  tools and processes that interact with 
geographical data and are utilised in analysis and 
decision-making. It is required in many areas, from the 
government to the general public, business to social care, 
and science to the military. Bolstad (2012) has defined 
GIS as a computer-based system to aid in the collection, 
maintenance, storage, analysis, output, and distribution of  
spatial data and information. GIS offers advanced analysis 
tools and comprehensive data packages for community 
proximity analyses to security facilities in the event 
of  an emergency as well as demographic information 
(Shoman et al., 2018). Remote sensing is the acquisition 
of  information about an object or phenomenon without 
physical contact with the object, in contrast to in situ 
or on-site observation. Key informant interviews are 
qualitative in-depth interviews with people who know 
what is happening in the community. This is a useful 
way of  capturing softer data using a set of  pre-prepared 
but not rigidly applied open and closed questions. The 
purpose is to collect information from a wide range 
of  people, viz; community leaders, professionals, or 
residents and others with firsthand knowledge about the 
community.

Figure 1: 21 Safety and Security Rules this Season

Spatial distribution analysis will provide the security 
agency with detailed information about areas that are 
most vulnerable to security threats by displaying the inter-
visibility, descriptive picture, and location in order to 
improve and enhance the level of  security in such areas and 
also provide solutions to the problems of  kidnapping and 
abduction that have been trending in the country at large.

In this work, the geospatial technique was used to deploy 
security personnel to vulnerable areas by analysing the 
spatial distribution of  mobile force and agency personnel 
across the study area for compliance with national security 
agency directives on personnel deployment to secure and 
enhance the safety of  communities within the LGA, and 
also tackle kidnapping activities in the study area.

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METHODOLOGY
This study’s overall methodology used a combined 
approach of  quantitative and qualitative data collection 
with spatial GIS applications and Analysis:

Quantitative
This study looked at various quantitative approaches 
using different procedures to gather useful information 
on the crime hotspots. Numerical data were obtained 
and evaluated with the help of  statistical information to 
ascertain the facts surrounding social processes. Included 
in the study are descriptive and correlative research 
methods. In 25 crime hotspot experiments, closed-ended 
questionnaires were used, and the results were recorded.

Quantitative 
In this study, contextual analysis, content, and topic 
techniques were used to reach out to many key 
stakeholders. Individual interviews, focus groups, and 
observations of  the 25 selected crime hotspots were also 
conducted. A phenomenological study design was used, in 
which participants shared their experiences. Additionally, 
it was ethnographic, and the community leaders and 
knowledgeable security officers served as the major 
informants.

Application of  Remote Sensing and GIS
In all 25 crime hotspots identified in Bauchi Metropolis, 
handheld GPS was used to collected geometric data 
(locational coordinate of  the crime hotspot) the data 
collected where further validated and exported to ArcGIS 
10.7.1 environment for security threat analysis, proximity 
analysis and “Nearest Neighbor Analysis” (NNA) and 
the result are displayed inform thematic maps and chart 
respectively. The step-by-step strategy adopted in the 
process of  implementing the field work is as follow; 
reconnaissance (field and office), data collection (primary 

and secondary data were collected), recording, data 
analysis and presentation. 

Study Area 
the study area. Bauchi Local Government Areas (LGA) in 
Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Bauchi State, Nigeria. 
It is geographically located between latitude 10°15’26.23” 
and 10°16’30.25” North of  the equator and Longitude 
9°46’36.32” and 9°47’44.94” east of  the Greenwich 
meridian. Bauchi Local Government has a population of  
493 810 people and a surface area of  around 3 687 km2 
(NPC. 2008). 
Figure 2 Shows the Maps of  the study area Bauchi State 
(Hausa: Jihar Bauchi) is a Nigerian state in the North-East 
geopolitical zone, bordered on the North by Kano and 
Jigawa, on the south by Taraba and Plateau, on the east 
by Gombe and Yobe, and on the west by Kaduna. Bauchi 
is the area’s fifth-largest city and seventh-most populous 
in Nigeria, with a population of  about 6,530,000 in 2016. 
The State is divided geographically between the drier, 
Semi-desert in the West, Sudan savanna in the south and 
the dried semi-desert Sahelian savanna in the North, 
with a tiny portion of  the highland Jos Plateau in the 
southwest. 
Yankari National Park is a large wildlife park in 
southern Bauchi State that contains large populations of  
waterbuck, African buffalo, patas monkey, hippopotamus, 
roan antelope, and western hartebeest, as well as some 
of  Nigeria’s last remaining West African lion, African 
leopard, and African bush elephant populations is a 
critical defining feature of  the State’s landscape. 
The people of  Bauchi state are: the Bolewa, Butawa, and 
Warji in the central region; the Fulani, Kanuri, and Karai-
Karai in the North; the Fulani and Gerawa in and around 
Bauchi; the Zaar (Sayawa) in the south; the Tangale in the 
southeast; and the Jarawa in the southwest have all lived 
there for many years.

Figure 2: Maps of  Bauchi Local Government, Bauchi State and Nigeria

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Sources of  Data Requirements
Two methods were used to collect the data which are 
primary and secondary approaches:

Primary Data
The primary data, are data sourced from the field that 
depicted geometric location of  the different police station 
within the metropolis and the points where abnormal 
activities are being carried out that habour criminals 
within the communities using Handheld Geographical 
Positioning System (GPS) as a tool for data collection. 

Secondary Data
Satellite images of  the area were downloaded from 
Google Maps. The satellite images were used to identify 
and extract the relevant features. Attribute information 
about these base stations was collected from the 
telecommunication service operators. The data included 
the following:

1. The names of  the various crime hotspot and security 
agency posts or stations.

2. The address and location of  the crime hotspot and 
security agency post or station.

3. The study area contains a large number of  crime 
hotspots and security agency posts or stations.

4. Ownership and characteristics of  each facility.

Data Acquisition 
This is the process of  gathering, recording and 
measuring/observing data on variables of  interest in an 
established systematic fashion that enables one to answer 
stated research questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate 
outcomes. The processes of  data collection/acquisition 
in surveying and geoinformatics include:

1. Reconnaissance
2. Recording
3. Observation and measurement

Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is planning and cursory examination of  
the entire project for proper execution. This is the first 
and most crucial stage in any survey work. It requires the 
researcher to visit the study area to get familiar with its 
features and take note of  possible difficulties encountered 
during the work. There are two types of  reconnaissance: 
office and field reconnaissance

Office Reconnaissance
Also known as the planning stage; it involves making the 
necessary arrangements and preparation of  work to be 
done to ensure the proper execution of  the project and 
obtaining the relevant materials used in its execution. 
Some of  the materials to be obtained are:

1. The study area map was obtained from SAS Planet, 
USGE, and Terra Incognita.

2. Information about the location and characteristics 
of  the communities were obtained from the Bauchi State 
security agency, while information on the Crime Hotspot 

Areas and security posts were obtained from security 
agencies.

3.The extent of  the study area.

Field Reconnaissance
A reconnaissance survey was carried out to give 
the researcher information on the location of  the 
Communities, crime hotspots and a security agency post 
or station in the metropolis. Other relevant information 
and attribute data will be obtained by visiting the 
Communities, crime hotspots and security agency stations 
using a handheld GPS receiver and interacting with some 
stakeholders using a Key Informant Interview (KII).

Data Processing
The following steps were employed:

Image Georeferencing
The high-resolution image of  the area (0.5m) was 
georeferenced with the aid of  ground control points by 
creating a geographical coordinate system using zone 
32 WGS 1984 (Bauchi metropolis is in Zone 32 on the 
Universal Traverse Mercator) to facilitate geospatial 
processing and analysis. ArcGIS 10.3.1 software was 
used for the georeferencing and digitising exercises. The 
following procedures adopted in the georeferencing 
exercise are:

I. The arc map software was launched from the desktop.
II. On the arc map desktop, the arc catalogue was 

launched, and the folder where the image was to be 
stored was connected to the arc catalogue.

III. On the arc map desktop, the “Add Map” button 
was clicked, redirecting the user to the folder where the 
image was to be stored.

IV. After the image had been added to the arc map, 
spatial reference was added to the image (projected 
coordinates: world-UTM-zone 32).
The image georeferencing was appropriately done by 
clicking on the georeferencing tab and clicking the add 
control tab (where four evenly distributed ground control 
points coordinates were added to the image). The image 
was then geo-registered by creating a geographical 
coordinates system using zone 32 North of  Minna data 
to facilitate geospatial processing and analysis.

Regular Inspection of  Community Premises
The importance of  regular community inspection by 
security agencies to uncover strange objects must be 
considered. Security men and assigned stakeholders must 
move around the community premises once or twice a 
day to discover if  criminal activities or strange objects 
will be discovered. If  strange objects or unusual signs are 
observed, they should be reported as soon as possible to 
the concerned authority. 
The location of  crime hotspots and security agency 
stations in the communities, the database was imported 
into the ArcGIS environment, and the data containing 
the relevant vector shapefiles were checked in the ArcGIS 

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environment to create a visual map of  point and polygon 
feature classes. The X and Y coordinates of  the facilities 
automatically displayed the locations of  all the base 
stations on the map. This shows the distribution of  the 
facilities across the study location.
The coverage of  the crime hotspots and security agencies’ 
stations were examined to identify areas with a security 
presence using the required techniques and approaches 
that enable the researcher to achieve the goals. However, 
geospatial and statistical techniques were adopted, and 
security agency stations in the study area were buffered 
based on viewshed analysis. A Key Informant Interview 
(KII) was used to collect data from stakeholders to 
ascertain the level of  security problems that face the 
environment. Data were collected from the stakeholders 
regarding the frequent occurrence of  crime, enhancing 
security deployment, and improving community safety. 
The spatial pattern of  the location of  the crime hotspot 
and security agency stations in the study area, ultimately, 
the vectorised map of  the study location was imported, 
and all the relevant shapefiles were spatially overlaid. 
Subsequently, the proximity analysis and “Nearest 
Neighbor Analysis” (NNA) inferential statistical tool 
in ArcGIS 10.7.1 was computed to establish the spatial 
pattern that may exist in the data.

Data Analysis 
Nearest Neighbor Analysis explores patterns in the 
location data by comparing the mean distance (Do) of  
the phenomena in question to the same expected mean 
distance (De), usually under a random distribution.
The query tool was used to examine the national security 
agency regulation for the deployment of  security 
personnel to specified set standards to meet the stipulated 
regulatory distance of  security agencies agreed upon 
among the communities in the study area. A query can be 
a way to get exact information from a map or database. 
In ArcMap, one can perform a query using the identifier 
button on the toolbar for simple querying or the query 
builder, depending on the situation. Because the database 
to be developed will contain the minimum distance from 

each mast to the following residential building obtained 
during the fieldwork, a geographic query was run to identify 
which communities are vulnerable under the defined 
standard of  security agencies’ deployment of  security. 
The findings were displayed on a map and in a table, 
highlighting regions likely to face security threats. During 
the fieldwork, relevant information on the proximity 
analysis within the setback distance was gathered, and a 
database was created.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Results 
Functional Police Division and their Outpost

Table 1: Function Police Division in Bauchi LGA

 Police station and 
Outpost

Functional 
station

Non 
Functional 
station

A' Division and Outpost 5 1
B' Division and Outpost 5 2
C' Division and Outpost 4 0
D' Division and Outpost 2 1
E' Division and Outpost 2 4
Headquarter and Outpost 1 0
Total 19 8

The Trend of  Criminal Activities

Table 1: Function Police Division in Bauchi LGA

Year of  crime 2020 2021 2022
Kidnapping 17 21 25
Armed robbery 680 730 885
Motorcycle snatching 370 380 721
Car snatching 14 11 9
Total 1081 1162 1081

Bauchi LGA (Population, 2018) Ratio
645,000 3581:1

Figure 3: A Map showing the spatial distribution of  the police division, outpost and crime hotspots within the Bauchi 
Metropolis

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Figure 4: A Map showing the spatial distribution of  the police division and their Outpost with Bauchi Metropolis

Figure 5: Composite map showing the level of  Vulnerability of  some communities base on the clusters of  the crime 
hotspot in relation to the police station

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Figure 6: Map showing the location of  crime hotspot

Figure 7: Composite map showing the buffered location of  Police outpost and crime hotspot

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Figure 8: Composite map showing the buffered location of  Police outpost  recommended police outpost and crime 
hotspot

DISCUSSION
The dynamics of  crime and security of  Bauchi
Security and safety of  life have been challenging issues in 
the northeast, and Bauchi has no border with states that 
are experiencing security issues or seriously facing many 
problems. Bauchi has a record of  harbouring and being 
used as a hiding place for criminals, bandits, terrorist 
groups, VEOs like Boko Haram and ISWAP members. 
Although there were no active terrorism camps, between 
2012 to 2015, terrorism groups such as Ansaru, Matasinai, 
and another group of  Boko haram tried to establish their 
camps in places like Toro, Dass, Ningi and Alkaleri LGAs 
of  Bauchi state. Nigeria’s military and Department of  
State Security Service (DSS) combined efforts flushed 
them out of  the State.
In the past three years, Bandits are gradually finding their 
foot in the State. There have not been massive attacks 
on locals, but they have engaged in a series of  kidnap 
which has forced some individual to relocate from their 
homes and villages to communities in the urban city that 
are safer. The activities of  bandits are prominent in Toro, 
Ningi and Alkaleri LGAs; also, kidnapping has been 
prominent in LGAs like Bauchi, Tafawa Balewa, Toro, 
Ningi, DASS, Ganjuwa, and Kirfi. Most communities 
in the State are vulnerable because aside from the Local 
government headquarters, all other places in the LGAs 
are ungoverned. There is no presence of  conventional 
security, a lack of  access roads, a poor communication 

network, and an extended response time.
Table 1 shows the functionality of  police divisions and 
their Outpost within Bauchi LGA; 70.35%   of  the 
outposts are functional with personnel on duty, while 
29.62% of  the outposts within the LGA are non-
functioning and considering the most functional division 
base on hierarchy Division A= 26.32%, B=26.32%, 
C=21.05%, D=10.53%, E=10.53% and also looking at 
the Vulnerability of  the Division base on hierarchy C= 
0.00%, A=12.50%, D=12.50%, B=25.00%, E=50.00%. 
Looking at the vulnerability data provided, division E 
needs to catch up to the workforce, followed by Division 
B. The two-division outpost community may experience 
security threats because they need more personnel. 
Their functionality will be based on discretion, so most 
communities could be good hideouts for criminals.

Ratio of  Policemen to Population 
The population density of  people in Bauchi Local 
Government was compared using police (personnel) 
distribution and population distribution, as shown in the 
table below, using a simple ratio approach. Based on the 
United Nations standard, the ratio of  population to one 
police is 450:1. Adopting the United Nations standard, 
the result showed that Bauchi was vulnerable in terms of  
security proportionality; there will be a need for security 
personnel and human resources because the workforce is 
inadequate.

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According to the crime classification trend recorded with 
security agencies in the State, 17 persons were Kidnapped 
in 2020, and the incident occurred within the two-month 
interval. In 2021, 21 persons were abducted on average 
within three months intervals, and in 2022, 25 persons 
were kidnapped within an average four-month interval. 
The armed robbery activities include snatching bags/ 
phones, breaking into houses, robbing on the roads and 
streets etc.; in 2020, 2021, and 2022 security agencies 
recorded 680,730,885 robbery activities, respectively, on 
an average of  2/day intervals. Similarly, the motorcycle 
snatching crimes record in 2020 was 370 on average of  
1/day, and in 2021, it was 380 on average of  1/day, while 
in 2022, it was 721 on average of  2/day. Car snatching in 
2020 was recorded at 14; in 2021, it was recorded at 11; 
and in 2022 was recorded at 9.
Recently, the rate at which crime is committed is at 
increased. From 2020 to 2022, the data shown indicate 
a tremendous increase in crimes; the acts’ perpetrations 
result from an increase in crime hotspots, which are 
typically considered hideout places for criminals. 
Following the trend of  criminal activities, from 2020, 
crime is rated (1081) at 27.98%. In 2021 there was a 

slight increase in crimes (1142), 29.56%, while in 2022, 
Bauchi experienced a rapid increase in criminal activities 
with (1640) 42.45%. Such activities include armed 
robbery, car snatching, kidnapping, and motorcycle 
snatching. Motorcycle snatching is increasing as criminals 
adopt different strategies to rob their victims of  their 
motorcycles.
Kidnapping is prevalent at Mararaba, Inkil, and Turum. 
Motorcycle snatching is prevalent at Mararaba, Bakaro, 
Gudu Hausawa, Gudu Seyawa, and Turum. Burglary is 
prevalent at Gwallameji, wunti Dada, Gudum area, Gombe 
road, Fadama Mada, Inkil, etc. Such criminal activities have 
been perpetrated on average every day. According to the 
security agencies interviewed in December 2022, most 
crimes are undocumented because they are not reported. 

Geospatial Security Technology Used by the Security 
Agencies
The chart above shows the crime hotspot distribution level 
around communities within the Bauchi LGA. The low Pi-
value and Zi-value represent crime hotspots, and the low 
Zi-value and the huge Pi-value represent the hotspot’s 
loop cluster and their impact on the communities.

Figure 9: Statistical analysis that shows the level of  communities Vulnerability

Dynamics of  Geospatial Analysis of  Crime Hotspot
The geospatial analysis shows the nature of  Police 
station outpost distribution in relation to crime hotspots. 
Looking at the dynamics of  crime in Bauchi LGA, the 
analysis shows the level of  clusters of  crime hotspots, the 
random and dispersed nature of  the crime hotspot, and 
their impact. 
In most cases, people close to the crime hotspot tend 
to be vulnerable compared to those far away. However, 
irrespective of  the hotspot location, criminals will still 

carry out their activities in their preferred location or 
choice.

Discussion of  Findings
The result shows that 70.35% of  the divisional police 
outposts are functioning with 5-6 personnel on duty, 
while 29.62% of  the outposts within the LGA need to be 
fixed. Looking at the hierarchy of  non-functionality and 
the dynamics of  crime trends over the years shows some 
community vulnerability due to an inadequate workforce, 

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which leads to adherence to the United Nations standard 
of  police ratio to the population to protect the life and 
properties of  citizens. The mode of  police operations in 
recent times have a concern because most divisions have 
no standard of  operation or posting of  men; it is usually 
based on discretion and demand.
Security agencies still need to adopt geospatial approaches 
to risk/security assessment. However, provision has been 
made at the headquarter, but such technologies installed 
at the police ICT unit need to be fixed. Intelligent units 
such as State Intelligent Bureau (SIB), Zonal Intelligent 
Bureau (ZIB) and Federal Intelligent Bureau (FIB) could 
have used such technological devices for combatting 
security challenges in Local Government areas, State and 
Federal levels, respectively.
There is a rapid increase in criminal activities within 
Bauchi LGA due to the non-spatial distribution of  security 
agencies. Looking at the crime rate growth, if  drastic 
measures are not taken, then with time, no place will be 
safe. Suppose the agencies adopt a geospatial approach to 
monitor the crime hotspot. In that case, it will help curb 
the insecurity problem, and also, the personnel posting 
should be at an outpost one diameter interval which will 
help in curbing the crime rate.

CONCLUSION
The rapid increase in crime hotspots is a threat to the 
security of  Bauchi LGA. Geospatial and Key Informant 
Interview approaches were adopted to evaluate the 
intensity of  insecurity and crime hotspots in Bauchi 
LGA. The findings have helped to establish that criminal 
activities are at increase due to the rapid increase in 
crime hotspots and the nature of  the security agency 
functionality. Based on the findings, in 2020, the security 
agencies had 1081 crimes recorded, while in 2021 recorded 
1142 crimes, and as of  2022, the record has tremendously 
increased to 1640, and this is the result of  the nature of  
the security agency mode of  operation. Although 70.35% 
of  the security agency outpost are functional while 
29.62% of  the Outpost are non-functional, also looking 
at the population density of  Bauchi LGA (645,000) and 
the ratio of  personnel to individuals 3581:1. The criteria 
do not meet the United Nations standard of  police ratio 
450:1.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings, the following recommendations 
were made:
There is a need for the Bauchi state government to 
create job opportunities and skill acquisition training for 
unemployed youths in the streets. This positively impacts 
by reducing the crime rate within the LGA because 
poverty and lack of  job opportunities among the youths 
are major triggers of  these acts.
Moreso, there is an urgent need to increase the security 
agencies’ workforce. Based on the United Nations 
standard, Bauchi LGA does not meet the criteria because 
the population density of  the State is more than the 

number of  police personnel ratio to citizens; having more 
of  the security personnel will help to reduce the rate of  
crime perpetrated within the State at large.
There would be a need to deploy modern technology 
in combatting crimes considering the rapid increase 
in criminal activities within the State, knowing full well 
that security agencies have Intelligent Units such as the 
State Intelligent Bureau (SIB), Zonal Intelligent Bureau 
(ZIB) and Federal Intelligent Bureau (FIB), having GIS 
knowledge and adopting geospatial approaches will help 
in producing maps of  areas that may be threatened and 
further devise the appropriate mitigation approach to 
curtail the crime.
Installation of  Closed-Circuit Camera: community 
management can acquire Closed-circuit cameras. No 
amount of  money is too much to guarantee the security 
of  lives. This camera can be used to monitor the criminal 
activities of  visitors and other stakeholders in the 
community. This will help prevent evil acts like planting 
bombs, kidnapping, rape, etc.  

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