Beyond the Bounds of Order: Ungoverned Spaces and the Challenges of Insecurity in Nigeria

For decades, the Nigerian state has been concerned with the issue of expanding insecurity within its borders. The insecurity manifests primarily in the form of Boko Haram (BH) terrorism, Niger Delta militancy, Unknown Gun Men (UGM) conundrum, banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, oil theft, sea robbery, armed robbery, and so on. Although, the literature appears to identify several causative factors to the insecurity. However, this study attributes the country’s precarious security situation to ungoverned spaces in all geo-political zones, states, local governments, and nearly all communities. These areas serve as havens, hideouts, training grounds, points of reconnaissance, and operational bases for terrorists. The study is anchored on the theory of state fragility through which it argued that the lack of capacity, and authority, on the part of the Nigerian state to assert its sovereignty over its territory enhances the ability of criminals, dissidents, and belligerent groups to unleash terror on the state and its citizens. Data for the study were generated from secondary sources and were analyses using the qualitative descriptive method. The study discovered that the inability of the Nigerian state to effectively police and maintain its presence across its territory accounts for the expanding security threats. The study recommends restructuring and reformation of the Nigerian security architecture and the adoption of state and community policing options. No one can know and better protect a place more than its inhabitants.