DYNAMICS OF SECURITY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF COVID-19 LOCKDOWN MEASURES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The menace, threat and adverse consequences of COVID-19 pandemic are glaring across the global
landscape to the extent that every governments and people of different socio-economic background in both
the global North and South are panicking in large magnitude. Importantly, the high contagious and quick
fatality rate associated with the coronavirus has been its most worrisome and deadly aspect not only for the
frontline health workers but all sundry; hence, the decision to impose series of lockdown measures to contain
its rate of spread and fatality by governments. Based on the foregoing, this study examined the security and
socio-economic challenges of COVID-19 lockdown measures in Nigeria with a view to abate the
consequences. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design, while the online-electronic survey was
used to administer 1671 copies of a questionnaire on residents using convenient sampling. Data collected
were analysed descriptively and inferentially. Major findings established the existence of a strong
relationship between COVID-19 lockdown measures and security cum socio-economic challenges in
Nigeria; hence, the conclusion that the lockdown measure is a major setback to both the security situation and
socioeconomic challenges being experienced by most residents whose means of sustenance were halted due
to various lockdown restrictions measures imposed to containing the pandemic as crime and security
breaches thrive with minimal support and absence of social security framework in place. The study
recommended among others improvisation of national social security framework through the enactment of
suitable laws and formulation of policy that would guarantee protection for all considering the high rate of
risk and vulnerability that are associated with the lockdown measures occasioned by unexpected pandemic
like COVID-19; and the need to re-energise safer city projects across the country in line with emerging
security breaches induced by COVID-19 pandemic towards abating the socioeconomic consequences.