




































 
 

Youth Unemployment and Rural Crime in Nigeria 

Emeka, Josephat O., Ojong, Felix E. Agba A.M Ogaboh. &Asongo Tersoo 
University of Calabar, P.M.B. 1115, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria 

 
 
Abstract  
This study examinedthe effect of youth unemployment on rural crime in Obanlinku Local 
Government Area of Cross River State. Specially, the study examined the relationship between 
structural unemployment and burglary crime, seasonal unemployment and drug abuse, and 
frictional unemployment and armed robbery. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey 
research design and structured questionnaire as instrument of data collection. The population 
and sample size for the study was three hundred and ninety seven (397) youths, farmers, and 
security personnel’s in Obanlinku Local Government Area.Data collected was statistically 
analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. All the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 
level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that, there is positive and high 
correlation between structural unemployment and burglary crime, seasonal unemployment and 
drug abuse, and frictional unemployment and armed robbery in Obanlinku Local Government 
Area.   It was recommended based on the findings that government should intensify efforts to 
create more vocational skills acquisition centres across the country especially in rural areas to 
enable our young men and women to acquire skills for them to be self-employed and also employ 
others. Skills acquisition is a strong instrument for empowerment of youth in areas like tailoring, 
carpentry, automobile mechanic, ICT, metal work as to avert youth seasonal unemployment. 

Keywords: Effect, Youth Unemployment, Rural Crime  

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Introduction 
Youth unemployment is the situations of young people are looking for a job butcannot 

find a job.  The United Nation (2012) defined youth unemployment with the age range of 15-24 
years old, and in Nigeria, the economically active or working  age  of people is 15-64 years of 
age. Youth unemployment is a social problem; this is because it is undesirable to the society and 
also the inherent nature of youth unemployment has posed a threat to society as a whole, and to 
the individuals who live in that society (Otu, Eja, Eko, & Josephat, 2011;Angioha, Nwagboso, 
Ironbar, &Ishie, 2018; Owan, Ayuk, Tiku, & Nwankwo, 2019). The types of 
youthunemployment commonly found in urban and rural society especially in Nigeria include, 
structural, frictional, and seasonal. One of the common characteristics of structural unemployment 
for instance, is when the skills set of a worker does not match the skills demanded by the jobs 
available, or alternatively when workers are available but are unable to reach the geographical 
location of the jobs. The seasonal unemploymenton the other hand, comes and goes with the 
seasons of the year that dictates the demand of certain jobs, and this is commonly found in the 
rural setting becausethe demand for agricultural labour increases during the rainy season- 
planting, cultivation and harvesting, and in addition, road construction is always out of place in 
the rainy season, albeit it depends on the terrain of the areas. Therefore, some workers are 
relieved of their work during the prevailing season. 

The persistent and growing youth unemployment is peculiarnot only in Nigeria, 
butglobally estimates indicates thatout of 148 countries, unemployment was highest in the 
Middle East and North Africa (22 %), Sub-Saharan Africa (17 %) and lowest in Asia (5 %). 
Seventeen percent of the world’s workforce was underemployed in 2011, a slight decline from 
18 % in 2010. As with unemployment, underemployment rates are highest in Sub-Saharan Africa 
(32 %) and the Middle East and North Africa (also 32 %), and lowest in Asia (13%) (Odey& 
Owan, 2014; Agba, Agba, & Chukwurah, 2020;Ingwe, Ikeji, & Ojong, 2010; Angioha, 
Nwagboso, Ironbar, &Ishie, 2018). Countries and territories such as South Africa, Botswana, 
Swaziland, Iran, Iraq, and the Palestinian Occupied Territories have among the highest 
unemployment rates in the world, largely driving the high unemployment rates in the Middle 
East and North Africa and Sub-Saharan regions (International Labour Organization, 2014).  

In Nigeria, there is an increase of 23.1% in youth unemployment from 2018 to 33.3% in 
2020 generally, and in rural Nigeriato be specific, youth unemployment rose to 28.0% in 2020 
(National Bureau of Statistics, 2020).The resultant of this increase of youth unemployment 
especially in rural areas is because they do not acquired the kind of skills that are frequently 
demanded in the environment they operators. Evidence from the finding of Kpakol (2006) 
revealed that some youth in rural areas are unemployed because their skills have been rendered 
obsolete by technological changes or because the youth have no skill at all. 

However, the growing and persistent youth unemployment has negatively impact on the 
rise political unrest and anti-social behaviour.Theincrease of 34.52% of crime from 2016-2020 
(World Bank, 2019; Ojong-Ejoh, Bassey & Angioha, 2021; Ojong, Agba, Njirinze, & Angioha, 
2021).Such as riots and protests in Nigeria are the effects of youth unemployment. The lack of 
productive engagement of young people in wider society, underlined by high levels of 
unemployment and under-employment, only serves to add to this feeling of disenfranchisement. 

In Nigerian rural communities, persistent effects of youth unemployment aredrug abuse, 
burglary, and armed robbery. According to Barclay, Donnermeyer, Doyle and Talary 
(2001)unemployment and drug abuse areas the most prevalent social problems related to farm 
crime in rural areas. This can be also supplemented by the consumption of alcohol, and the 

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possession of weapons and vehicles which can be so-called crime facilitators (Felson & Boba 
2010; Pesch & Neubacher, 2011; Ukwayi, Ojong, Austin, & Emeka, 2012; Ayuk, Emeka, 
Chibuzo, &Omono, 2013, Achu, Owan, Uyang., & Francis, 2013; Ayuk, Owan, Ekok,&Odinka, 
2012). Similarly,Ajaegbu (2012) observed thatthe accelerating level of prostitution, armed 
robbery, rape, terrorism and all facets of violence in rural areas can be largely attributed to the 
incidence of youth unemployment in Nigeria. 

In Obanlinku Local Government Area of Cross River state, many cases of drug abuse, 
arm robbery, and burglary are recorded or reported as observed by the study. This is because, 
most of the employers rely deeply on seasonal jobs, and most workersdo not match the skills 
demanded by the jobs available.It is therefore from the backdrop that a research on the effect of 
unemployment on rural crime inObanlinku Local Government Area of Cross River is initiated. 

Statement of the Problem 
Youth unemployment has been an endemic phenomenon in almost every human society. 

The problem of rural crime as a result of youth unemployment is a universal one in both 
developed and developing countries of the world including Nigeria. This menace has seriously 
affected the residents of rural dwellers. Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River state 
also has been experiencing it fair share of rural crime such as armed robbery, drug abuse and 
burglary caused most especially by youths who are unemployed. These youth have in recent 
times perpetuated themselves as agents of crime involving in social vices such as cultism, armed 
robbery, drug peddlers and abuse with its consequences on the Obanliku residents.   

Despite several measures employed by the government by providing youth development 
and empowerment programmes such as National Directorate of Unemployment (NDE), Subsidy 
Reinvestment and Empowerment Progamme (SURE-P), N-Power, and National Youth Policy 
which are focus on the wholesome development of young people and to active participation in 
various sectors of nation building.However,with these programmes and policies, youth 
unemployment remains a major defy to the developmental process of Nigerian economy. And 
the prevalence of this raising unemployment wave has been attributed to a lot of factors. 
Anyanwu and Duru (2010) in their study observed that the average graduate in Nigeria is 
unemployable and by implication lacks the skills required for employment in the formal sector 
by the employers of labour.The findings of Ugal, Nwagbrara and Ugang (2011) and Angioha, 
Nwagboso, Ironbar, and Ishie, (2018). revealed that the phenomenon of youth unemployment has 
continued in Nigeria in the face of unfulfilled political promises of job creation by successive 
governments. Other research studies conducted on youth unemployment include those of 
Galadima, Selvadurai and Awang (2019) who were on the views that abandonment of 
agricultural activities as a result of oil in Nigeria that yield abundant revenue but oil sector was 
very inadequate to provide employment opportunities to Nigeria unemployed youth. 

The effect of this youth unemployment on rural crime is severe especially as there is total 
unrest and restiveness in areas where these crimes are perpetrated. Sometimes, life and property 
worth millions are lost at the instance of these rural crimes. Although, little has not been 
investigated, andit is therefore in recognition of this fact that a study on the effect of youth 
unemployment on ruralcrime in Obanlinku Local Government Area of Cross River state   is lure 
in the gap. 

Research Questions 

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The general question of this study is to what extent the effect of unemployment on rural 
crime in Obanlinku Local Government Area of Cross River state. Specifically, the following 
research questions served as guide for the study. 
1. Does structural unemployment lead to burglary crime among youths in Obanlinku Local 

Government Area? 
2. Is there any relationship between seasonal unemployment and drug abuse in Obanlinku 

Local Government Area? 
3. Does frictional unemployment prompt armed robbery and youth in Obanlinku Local 

Government Area? 
Research Hypothesis 

i. There is no significant relationship between structural unemployment and burglary 
crime 

ii. There is no significant relationship between seasonal unemployment and drug abuse 
iii. There is no significant relationship between frictional unemployment and armed 

robbery 
Literature Review  
The United Nations define youth as the age group between 15 and 24. Variation in the 

definitions of individual countries’ official statistics makes cross-country comparisons difficult 
(International Labour Organization,2011). In some analyses, the youth are further divided into 
teenagers (15–19 years old) and young adults (20–24 years old). Gorlich, Stepanok and Al-
Hussami (2013) argued that the unemployment numbers for these two groups and the challenges 
they face vary significantly and would thus call for separate approaches for alleviating 
unemployment. 

An individual is typically considered unemployed when he or she has not worked for a 
specific period of time but would like to and is, hence, actively searching for work. Yet, the 
definition of unemployment can also vary from country to country. Gorlich, Stepanok and Al-
Hussami (2013) postulated that, in some countries, students who are actively looking for a job is 
counted as part of the work force while, in others, they are not. The number of inactive youth, 
that is, those not actively searching for work and not being in the labour force or in education can 
also exhibit quite a variation across countries. Such data of the non-employed, which comprises 
of both unemployed and inactive individuals, can be more meaningful as it gives a clearer idea of 
the real magnitude of the problem. It is, however, less viable due to differences in definitions and 
problems with the availability. 

There are a number of causes of youth unemployment on many of which there is a 
fairamount of consensus.The findings of Coenjaerts, Ernst, Fortuny, Rei and Pigrim(2009) 
revealed the mismatch between the demand and supply of skills possessed by young workers has 
been mentioned to contribute to higher youth unemployment rates. Similarly, Manacorda and 
Petrongolo (1999) exposed that there is a relationship between skills mismatch and total 
unemployment across OECD countries. The skill mismatch issue is particularly important in the 
developing world. For example, firm surveys in the MENA region by Assaf and 
Benhassine(2003)show that entrepreneurs regularly cite the lack of skills as an important 
constraint to hiring, in some cases suggesting that it outweighs concerns with labour market 
regulations. Skill mismatch, combined with a growing share of youth in the labour force in 
MENA, has created a situation in which too many young people have a hard time finding jobs 
(Assaad &Roudi-Fahimi 2007;Owan, Ayuk, Tiku, & Nwankwo, 2019; Osonwa,  Eja&  Emeka, 
2015).  

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O’Higgins (2007) found that youth unemployment early in life may have persistent 
negative consequences for thepersons’ subsequent career, as it may impair their productive 
potential and employmentopportunities. Apart from scarring effects, O’Higgins (2007); Fougère, 
Kramarz, and Pouget (2009) discovered that youth unemployment has been found to be 
associated with drug use and crime. This is particularly severe as youth unemployment is 
typically concentrated among groups which have additional social problems. 

Crime has been found to hamper development of rural areas in a serious way. 
Gerasimova (2008) notes that corruption alone is a serious obstacle in the development process 
of developing countries. Ceccato (2016) points out that “crime and safety are important 
dimensions of sustainable rural development”. In other words, persisting crime in rural areas is 
likely to result in unsustainable development, depriving people of their livelihoods and 
promoting the outmigration of often younger household members to urban centers. This can have 
serious implications for foodsecurity in some developing countries: while the availability of 
workforce in rural areas decreases, and the environment gets deteriorated by criminal acts, more 
food needs to be produced to feed the urban population. 

Skaperdas, Soares, Willman and Miller (2009) state that violent crime like armed robbery 
that committed by unemployed youth in rural areas results in high costs on global development, 
and that it directly reduces economic growth. Fafchamps and Minten (2004) find for Madagascar 
that crime and insecurity result in a significant reduction in income and access to public 
infrastructure such as health care centers and schools. Indirect costs also occur as psychic cost 
and loss in work time if people affected by burglary or theft feel suspicious and unsafe at home 
(Barclay et al. 2001; Ceccato 2016). Furthermore, the findings of Grote and Neubacher (2016) 
revealed that in case of property crime, farming households are deprived of their livelihood 
income if livestock, field crops, or equipment and tools are stolen of their homesteads or fields. 

A study by Alabi (2014) on youth’s unemployment and crime control in Nigeria revealed 
that many social problems such as prostitution, robbery, alcoholism, domestic violence, social, 
religious and civil unrest and suicide to mention but few, become more severe in times of high 
unemployment. According to Alabi (2014) there is a linkage between unemployment, poverty 
and crime, when people cannot earn an income from legal, legitimate and social acceptable 
work/means; they turn to illegal activities.Similar study of Ugal, Nwagbrara and Ugang (2011)n 
in Calabar Metropolis revealed that many social problems in study  area in nature of crime, 
prostitution, hunger, poverty and general structuralinadequacies are mainly the consequences of 
unemployment among the youths. 

Persisting crime in rural areas is likely to result in unsustainable development, depriving 
even more people of their livelihoods and promoting outmigration of often younger household 
members to urban centers. This can have serious implications for food security in some 
developing countries: while the availability of workforce in rural areas decreases, and the 
environment gets deteriorated by criminal acts, more food needs to be produced to feed the urban 
population. 

Study Area  
The study area is Obanliku Local Government Area. The Local Government Area is both 

an inter-state and international boundary Local Government Area. It is bounded in the North by 
Kwande Local Government Area of Benue state, in the East by Republic of Cameroon, and in 
the west by Obudu Local Government Area. It has an area of 1,057km2and a population of 
110,324 at the 2006 census. The people of Obanliku Local Government Area are predominantly 
farmers. Agriculture which accounts for about 80% of production is the mainstay economy. The 

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Local Government Area is blessed with abundant fertile land which is suitable for cultivation of 
the following cash and crops such as coca, bushmango, yams, kolanut, coffee, rice groundnut, 
cassava, soya bean, cotton, oil palm, banana, plantain, pineapple amongst others. Although, most 
of these crops are seasonal, andit comes and goes with the seasons of the year that dictates the 
demand of certain jobs in whichsome of the youths are relieved of their work during the 
prevailing season, and consequently resorting them (youths) in criminal activities such as drug 
abuse, burglary and armed robbery. 

Methodology 
The study adopted a cross-sectionalsurvey research design. The reason for choosing a 

surveyresearch design is to allow for a broad based input into the effect of youth unemployment 
on rural crime. It has been pointed out that the survey research design can be used when 
collecting information about people’s attitudes, opinions, habits or any of the variety of 
education or social issues (Orondho& Kombo, 2002).The study was employed quantitative 
method.The population of the study was youths, farmers, and security personnel’s   inObanlinku 
Local Government Area. Obanlinku Local Government Area has a population of 
110,324(National Population Census, 2006). The sampling techniques for this study were 
purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Five (5) council wards in Obanliku Local 
Government Area namely, Becheve, Bishiri North, Basange, Busi, and Utanga were selected 
purposively because they most producer of farm crops and most of their agricultural activities are 
seasonal culminating the youth to unemployed, and the   nature and more prone to violence 
crimebecause of the characteristics of the targeted population of the study. In using simple 
random sampling which was used to select the youths, farmers, and vigilante members. The 
study identified five (5) villages  in each council ward and wrote the name of the villages and 
squeezed them; they select three(3) out of five (5), the number of villages were identified at the 
end of the day form the villages the research work was carried out.  Four hundred (400) youths, 
farmers and security personnel’s wereselectedout of the 110,324 populations sample size for the 
study.  This is to ensure a true representation of the entire population of the study. According to 
Wimmer and Domincik (2011), we can determine size from a heterogeneous population using 
Taro-Yamane’s were: 
 
n =    N  
  1 + N (e)2 
 

 Where,  n = Sampling size,  
     N = Population size, and  

e = the level of precision (95% and 5% confidence level and tolerable 
errorsampling respectively). 

Data for the study were collected through questionnaire. Out of 400 copies of the 
questionnaire distributed to the respondents, 397 were returned and found usable showing a 
response rate of 99.3%.  The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as 
simple percentages and tables, whereas inferential statistics such as Pearson product moment 
correction was used to test the hypotheses.  

 Results 
This segment of the study focuses on the analysis of data about the research questions 

that were asked at the early stage of this investigation. 

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Table 1:   Responses of Respondents on the Types of Youth Unemployment in Obanlinku 
Local Government Area. 
 
Types of Youth UnemploymentFrequency (F)Percentage (%) 
Structural     132   33.2 
Seasonal    153  38.5 

 Frictional    112    28.3    
 Total       397    100 
 
  From the findings, 33.2% (132) respondents viewed structural as a type of youth 

unemployment, according to them; there are no industries in Obanliku Local Government Area, 
and most importantly, the youth in the area do not have the skills needed for the available 
jobs.This concurs with the assertion by Onwuka (2015) that the structural unemployment occurs 
when there is mismatch between jobs that are available and the people looking for work. This 
mismatch between could be because job seekers do not have the skills required to do the 
available jobs. 

Seasonal unemployment is another type of unemployment as identified by 38.5% (153) 
respondents, the demand for agricultural labour increases during the rainy season- planting, 
cultivation and harvesting. In addition, road construction is always out of place in the rainy season, 
albeit it depends on the terrain of the areas. Therefore, some workers are relieved of their work 
during the prevailing season.This corroborates with the findings of Danjos and Ali (2014) among 
many others thatthis kind of unemployment is based on the dictate of the season. 

The frictional unemployment was also identified as a type of youth unemployment by 
28.2% (112) represents. The implication of the findings is thatwhen new graduates spend 
someperiod or time searching for the right job that could orleads themto frictional 
unemployment.The findings bore semblance to the study of Ojo (1998) that frictional unemployment 
persist as the continuous flow of people from one job to another (in and out of employment). 

Table 2: Responses of Respondents on the Effect of Youth Unemployment on 
Rural Crime in Obanliku Local Government Area 
 
Unemployment Effects 
on Rural Crime 

Frequency  Parentages 
(%) 

Burglary  141 35.5 
Armed robbery 117 29.5 
Drug abuse 139 35 
Total 397 100 
 
 From the findings of the respondents, 35.5 % (141) identified burglaryas one of the effect 
youth unemployment on rural crime in Obanlinku Local Government Area. Burglary and theft, 
respectively, affect households not only by loss in property and in work time, but it also creates 
an indirect psychic cost making people feel suspicious and unsafe at home.The findings has also 
coincided with the views of  Grote and Neubacher (2016) that most farm crimes which occur in 
developed countries are property-related and include theft of farm produce (such as fruits and vegetables, 
maize or wheat, and livestock).  

Armed robbery was also identified as the effect of unemployment rural crime in 
Obanlinku Local Government Area as stated by 29.5% (139) respondents. Armed robbery has 

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been identified by the residents of Obanlinku as violent crime which most often has been 
resultingto death or permanent disability of the victim. The findings has also coincided with the 
views of the Trent (2014) where an incident involves robbery, victims usually lose their 
valuables after the attack like the 2014 incident in Ogun state where a businesswoman lost 
N1,803,000 cash, gold worth of N200,000 and wrist watch worth N5,000 and blackberry phone 
at a total of N2,187,500 to armed robbers.Similarly, assassination leads to the elimination of 
individuals who are usually of immense contribution to their family and indeed society in 
general. 
 Another  effect of rural crime among youth unemployment on the people which in turn 
affects Obanlinku Local Government Area as posited by 35% (71) respondents drug abuse. 
Crime has consequences for individuals, groups, corporate bodies and the society. This result is 
in line with O’Higgins (2007) and  Fougère, Kramarz, Pouget (2009) that youth unemployment 
has been found to be associated withdrug use and crime. 

Testing of Hypotheses 
Hypothesis Ho1: There is no significant relationship between structural unemployment and 
burglary crime 

Pearson Product Moment Correlation of the Relationship between structural 
unemployment and burglary crime 

Variables   N  Mean SD r-value Sig 

Structural unemployment 397 15.24 2.63 0.687** 
 

.000 

Burglary crime 397 11.08 2.66 

P<.05, df=395, r-crtical=0.113 
 The table shows that the calculated r-value = 0.687 using 395 degree of freedom at 0.05 
level of significance, the critical r-value is 0.113. Therefore, since the calculated value of 0.687 
is greater than the critical value of 0.113. The null hypothesis which states that there is no 
significant relationship between structural unemployment and burglary is rejected.This implies 
that there is a positive relationship between structural unemployment and burglary crime.  
Hypothesis Ho2: There is no significant relationship between seasonal unemployment and drug 
abuse 
Pearson Product Moment Correlation of the relationship between Seasonal Unemployment 
and Drug Abuse 
Variables   N  Mean  SD r-value Sig.  

Seasonal unemployment 397 10.24 4.33 0.773** 
 

.000 

Drug abuse 397 7.28 2.97 

 

P<.05, df=395, r-critical= 0.113 

From the analysis of the table, the calculated r-value = 0.773 using 395 degree of 
freedom at 0.05 level of significance, the critical r-value is 0.113.  Therefore, since the calculated 
value of 0.773 is greater than the critical r-value of 0.113. The null hypothesis which states that 
there is no significant relationship between seasonal unemployment and drug abuse is 
rejected.This implies that there is a positive relationship between seasonal unemployment and 
drug abuse.  

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Hypothesis Ho3: There is no significant relationship betweenfrictionalunemployment and armed 
robbery 
Pearson Product Moment Correlation of the relationship between Frictional 
Unemployment and Armed Robbery 
Variables   N  Mean  SD r-value Sig.  

Frictional  
unemployment 

397 13.43 2.21 0.604 
 

.000 

Drug abuse 397 14.92 2.37 

 

P<.05, df=395, r-critical= 0.113 

From the analysis of the table, the calculated r-value = 0.604 using 395 degree of 
freedom at 0.05 level of significance, the critical r-value is 0.113.  Therefore, since the calculated 
value of 0.604 is greater than the critical r-value of 0.113. The null hypothesis which states that 
there is no significant relationship between frictional unemployment and armed robbery is 
rejected. This implies that there is a positive relationship between frictional unemployment and 
armed robbery.  

Discussion of Findings  
 The test of the relationship between structural unemployment and burglary crime has 
shown that there is significant, positive and high correlation between the two variables. This 
means that the degree of the technological displacement, lack of proper skills in the composition 
of demand, residency in depressed areas, changes in the structure of wages in relation to the 
pattern of demand and competition of imports with domestic goods among others. This implies 
that availability of jobs depend to a great extent on the degree of skills acquired by youths in 
rural areas which most often are not available. This is in agreement with Danjos and Ali (2014) 
who noted that the introduction of technology such as computers has displaced many people in 
many organizations, especially banks and this has resulted in structural unemployment. This 
finding is also in accordance to the findings of Gange (2016), who maintained that structural 
unemployment has led many youths in the rural areas to take robbery, kidnapping and hired 
assassins. 

The analysis on the relationship between seasonal unemployment and drug abuse showed 
that there is positive significant relationship between the two variables. This implies that the 
unemployment is based on the dictate of the season. In essence, it comes and goes with the 
seasons of the year that dictates the demand of certain jobs. This is similar to the view of UN-
Habitat (2008) who noted that youths who jobs are seasonal are the primary victims of social 
exclusion through unemployment. This view is equally corroborated by Ajaegbu (2012) who 
survey of Children and Youth in Organized Armed Violence in Nigeria, reported that 
disenchantment and frustration of young people due to mass unemployment, has increased the 
number of aggrieved youths and resulted in the emergence of  “area boys” and Almajiris who 
target the very society that alienated them. 

The analysis on the relationship between frictional unemployment and armed robbery 
showed that there is positive significant relationship between the two variables. Frictional 
unemployment, it is a situation where a person is out of one job and in search of another job.This implies 
that the changing employment is not particularly easy especially where the level of unemployment is high 

such as Nigeria where the labour market is saturated.This is in line with the finding of Bennel (2000) 

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which disclosed thatrural society is becoming increasingly criminalized, especially with the 
proliferation of youth gangs. Neither homes, nor markets are safe in Nigeria because of frequent 
occurrence of armed robbery incidents. Ideyi (2005) similarly revealed that the unemployment 
problem, which now seems beyond remedy, has produced army of idle hands and some of them 
have decided to punish the society that fails to provide them with means of livelihood and 
dignity by robbing its members of their property at gunpoint. 

Conclusion 
This study has explored the effect of youth unemployment on rural crime in Obanlinku 

Local Government Area of Cross River state. Considering the findings of the study, the youth 
unemployment is a major problem. The youth unemployment in Obanlinku Local Government 
Area of Cross River state was very important factor for rural crimein spite of political promises 
of job creation by successive governments. Thus, the role of Nigeria’sgovernment in the 
formulation of policies and laws will be of immense benefit to improve theeconomic and social 
wellbeing of its citizens and deter criminality. 

Recommendations 
Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made: 

i. Government should intensify efforts to create more vocational skills acquisition 
centresacross the country especially in rural areas to enable our young men and 
women to acquire skills for them to beself-employed and also employ others. Skills 
acquisition is a strong instrument forempowerment of youth in areas like tailoring, 
carpentry, automobile mechanic, ICT,metal work as to avert youth seasonal 
unemployment. 

ii. Government should put more efforts in the area of agriculture to generate 
employmentopportunities because it has a lot of potentials and if proper investment is 
made, can goa long way to transform the economy, aside transforming the people 
engage in it. Thus,all the required support for the unemployed to engage in 
agricultural business should bemade available to them like credit facilities, form 
inputs at subsidized prices andaccessible land for cultivations. New farming 
technology should be used to attractyouth into farming because the old methods are 
not encouraging. 

iii. Government should give more emphasis to entrepreneurial and vocational 
educationthat is meant to expose our young men and women to self-reliance. 
Therefore, thereview of curricula in our educational institutions is imperative, so as to 
be in line withthe present demand to empower our youth with skills and make them 
more employablein the labour market or to be self-reliance. 

iv. Government should give more priority to the provision of infrastructure in the 
ruralareas such as good roads, electricity, water, schools and small scale industries. 
This willgo along way to make the youth to reside in the rural areas and resort to 
farming.   

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http://www.macrotrends.net/countries/NGA/Nigeria/crimerate-statistics%3eNigeria



