Urban crime prevention and adaptation measures in Ilorin, Nigeria

Abstract

The current high rate of crime in Nigeria, which is attributed largely to high population growth, rapid rate of urbanization and a correspondingly high rate of impoverishment among the population owing to the disproportionate growth of the national economy, is fast making urban centers in Nigeria unsafe. With a police force that is short in capacity, urban residents have adopted safety measures to prevent and adapt to the increase in crimes in their residential neighbourhoods. Using a combination of primary and secondary data from a medium-sized city that reflects the attributes of the typical Nigerian urban centers, this study appraised the effectiveness of these prevention and adaptation measures. Among several identified measures, the use of fences and gates around buildings proved to be the most effective measure against the eight commonly identified crimes in the study area. The study concludes that the usage of this measure should form part of the building approval process by the relevant physical planning authorities in Nigeria.

Keywords: Crime, Residential Neighbourhoods, Spatial Pattern, Crime Prevention, Nigeria