Unemployment Crisis and Human Security Threat in Port Harcourt City, Nigeria, 2010-2019

Abstract

The soaring rate of unemployment constitutes a major threat to human security in Port Harcourt City, Rivers State, Nigeria. As unemployment increases, the degree of insecurity is becoming unimaginable in Port Harcourt City. This insecurity is associated with jobless young people; hence, engage in unethical activities like cybercrime, youth restiveness, cultism, armed robbery, electoral violence, kidnap for ransom, artisanal refining, and oil theft, among others. This anti-social behavour is opposed to the tenets of human security in the 21st century. The study is aimed at examining the cause of unemployment in Port Harcourt City and its effects on human security. The paper adopted the youth bulge theory and frustration and aggression theory as its theoretical construct. To achieve this aim, the study adopted by the triangulation method of data gathering techniques. The study unravelled that impact leads to insecurity, hence, a major threat to human security. The study recommends amongst others that the Rivers State government revamp agricultural farms, increase vocational training centres that will enable youths to acquire more skills, and create more jobs to reduce the growing rate of unemployment.