Authored By: Adebiyi Boluwatife Salome
Babcock University
Ade was only sixteen when the weight of poverty began to crush his dreams. His father had died leaving his mother to sell fish by the roadside to fend for him and his two younger siblings. Ade saw how his mother worked day and night so he decided to be the “man of the house.” Each day, he searched for jobs that never came, returning home with empty hands and a heavier heart. They all asked for qualifications but what qualifications does the son of a fish seller have to earn meaningful living? As hope slipped away, Ade met a man who promised him “quick money” and a way out of hunger. This man spoke of opportunities and greener pasture to help Ade and his family escape poverty. He introduced Ade to the most lucrative criminal enterprise in Nigeria today: Kidnapping.[1] Ade hesitated initially but the troubling hunger of his siblings and the exhaustion on his mother’s face pushed him into the shadows. This is not just an abstract story. It reflects the silent struggles of countless youths in Nigeria. Socio-economic inequality has driven so many Nigerians into crime, not out of choice but out of survival. Yet, the legal system often responds with punishment instead of tackling the root causes of poverty and exclusion. To bring justice out of the shadows, it is necessary for Nigeria to rethink its legal responses by enforcing socio-economic rights, expanding access to justice and adopting reforms that break the cycle of poverty-driven criminality.
Socio-economic inequality is the uneven distribution of wealth, education, and access to justice. Nigeria referred to as the ‘Giants of Africa’ is the most populous African country and the seventh largest in the world.[2] However, 133 million Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty, representing about 63% of the population with 40.1 percent of Nigerians who live below the national poverty line.[3] A lot of people cannot afford to live comfortably in Nigeria not because they do not want to but because they do not have the means. The rich become richer while the poor become poorer. Favoritism and nepotism are now seen as a norm in Nigeria giving undue advantage to people who may not even deserve it. At times, there are more qualified people who go around jobless while some are tossed aside in terms of promotion. This corruption and inappropriate behavior has been fine-tuned and is now called “connection;” making it a normality in the society. This pushes the less advantaged into crime as a means of survival.
Inequality in Nigeria is structural. In September 2025, a 32-year-old mechanic was sentenced to three years in prison for stealing yam tubers worth ₦10,000 from his neighbor’s farm to feed his family.[4] There are people in Nigeria who swim in millions while some can’t even afford a pot of soup. [5] The elites control vast resources while the majority struggle to survive. Urban elites enjoy better infrastructure, healthcare, and education, while rural communities face food insecurity, poor schools, and limited access to electricity. Even within cities, this inequality is visible. Gated estates with private security stand beside slums. This disparity fuels resentment and desperation, pushing vulnerable youths into criminal activity.
Inequality in Nigeria goes beyond income distribution and cuts across areas like education and access to justice. It has to do with who gets access to quality schools, healthcare, and fair treatment under the law. Nigeria spends only $220 per person annually on education and healthcare.[6] Poor Nigerians often lack access to legal representation, struggle to meet bail conditions, and face harsher sentencing compared to wealthier citizens. A large number of Nigerians have already come to the conclusion that money can buy anything; even justice. It is very rare for the wealthy to be punished for their crimes even when they commit more crimes than an ordinary Nigerian but those who have little are punished severely for crimes they commit while the wealthy roam freely. Justice remains “in the shadows” for millions; they are unseen until they are criminalized. When inequality denies people access to basic needs and justice, crime becomes an antidote. Theft of food, petty fraud, and even violent crimes often stem from desperation rather than greed.
Furthermore, youth unemployment is a major problem in Africa.[7] Millions of young people are left without stable income or opportunities for advancement. They have no “connections” to get meaningful jobs. Hence, this lack of opportunity combined with systemic marginalization, pushes many into crime as a survival strategy. The frustrations of seeing elites prosper while the majority struggle with hunger and deprivation often leads to resentment and desperation. This has been referred to as relative deprivation: the subjective feeling of being deprived of resources, rights, or opportunities relative to others or to one’s own expectations.[8] Due to this, they become bitter and are willing to do anything to make money. Cybercrime, popularly known as “Yahoo Yahoo”[9] has become a major outlet for unemployed youths seeking quick money in the absence of legitimate opportunities. Nigeria’s reputation has been undermined globally by the rise of online fraud and has been ranked the 5th country in the world with the highest cybercrime incidents.[10] Violent crimes, including kidnapping and armed robbery, has escalated in recent years. A security expert reported that Nigeria has recorded 2.2 million kidnapping incidents and ransom payments estimated at estimated at N2.2 trillion in a single year.[11]
Nigeria’s criminal justice system is designed to punish offenses rather than address the socio-economic conditions that cause these crimes to be committed. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) was enacted to improve efficiency and reduce delays, but this is not so practice with the number of pretrial detainees and delay in justice. As of 2025, over 53,000 inmates were awaiting trial in correctional centers.[12] Many of these individuals were arrested for minor poverty-driven crimes such as petty theft but they are remanded without being attended to. The Legal Aid Act established the Legal Aid Council in Nigeria to provide free representation for poor persons, but their reach is limited by inadequate funding and manpower causing many poor defendants to face trial without proper legal support. This reinforces socio-economic inequality. Recent reforms under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and state-level laws have introduced non-custodial sentencing and restorative justice measures, such as community service and oversight visits to detention centers but implementation is inconsistent, and the justice system continues to prioritize punishment over prevention.
Chapter 2 of The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria highlights the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy with section 14(b) stating that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of the government. This Chapter recognizes socio-economic rights such as access to education, healthcare, and social welfare but has been made non justiciable by Section 6(6)(c)[13] of the constitution making citizens unable to challenge it. These Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy are things Nigeria aims to achieve but with the recent state of things; the obtainability is very questionable.
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) adopted by the UN in 1963 urges that states need to progressively realize rights to food, housing, education, health, and work[14] because justice cannot be achieved without socio-economic equality and the Sustainable Development goals specifically highlights these rights like goal 4 which has to do with quality education.[15]
Countries like Brazil reduced poverty-driven crime by implementing large-scale social welfare programs. Bolsa Família[16] provided cash transfers to poor families conditional on school attendance and healthcare checkups while in South Africa, community policing was combined with social programs in disadvantaged townships. Nigeria can learn from these counties for better development both systematically and economically.
Socio-economic inequality has caused justice to seem far-fetched in Nigeria. Justice now remains in the shadows. For Nigeria to progress, socio-economic rights need to be guaranteed. It is important that the law be reformed and Chapter 2 of the constitution should be made justiciable. When welfare and educational access are guaranteed, the rate of crimes will reduce drastically. Everyone should be given fair opportunities to reach their potentials. Nigerian youths are smart and proper training and empowerment will unlock their potential and make them contribute positively to the growth of their country rather than its downfall. The law needs to address the root causes of these crimes in order to come up with a structured approach on how to tackle them.
In sum, Nigeria’s struggle with crime cannot be separated from its deep socio-economic inequalities. Poverty, unemployment, and systemic exclusion create conditions where crime becomes a means of survival. The Nigerian Constitution recognizes socio-economic rights, but their weak enforcement leaves justice “in the shadows” for the poor. The path forward lies in reform in its legal framework, strengthening legal aid and enforcing socio-economic rights as constitutional guarantees. Only by addressing inequality at its roots can Nigeria break the cycle of poverty-driven criminality and bring justice out of the shadows into the light of fairness, dignity, and inclusion.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Odunewu O, ‘Kidnapping emerges as Nigeria’s most lucrative criminal enterprise’ (National Daily, 6 June 2026) <https://nationaldailyng.com/kidnapping-emerges-as-nigerias-most-lucrative-criminal-enterprise/> accessed 21 July 2026.
National Bureau of Statistics, ‘Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index (2022) Executive Summary’ (National Bureau of Statistics, 2022) <https://nigerianstat.gov.ng/elibrary/read/1241254> accessed 21 July 2026.
World Metrics, ‘Nigeria Poverty Statistics’ (World Metrics, 2026) <https://worldmetrics.org/nigeria-poverty-statistics/> accessed 21 July 2026.
TG News, ‘Osun mechanic sentenced to 3 years in prison for stealing neighbor’s yam tubers amid hunger’ (TG News, 2026) <https://tgnews.com.ng/osun-mechanic-sentenced-to-3-years-in-prison-for-stealing-neighbors-yam-tubers-amid-hunger/> accessed 21 July 2026.
Odili E, ‘Economic hardship: Court jails Ondo man for stealing pot of soup items’ (Legit.ng, 2024) <https://www.legit.ng/nigeria/1578852-economic-hardship-court-jails-ondo-man-stealing-pot-soup-items/ > accessed 21 July 2026.
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[1]Olusegun Odunewu, ‘Kidnapping emerges as Nigeria’s most lucrative criminal enterprise’ (National Daily, 6 June 2026) <https://nationaldailyng.com/kidnapping-emerges-as-nigerias-most-lucrative-criminal-enterprise/> accessed 21 July 2026.
[2]National Bureau of Statistics, ‘Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index (2022) Executive Summary’ (National Bureau of Statistics, 2022) <https://nigerianstat.gov.ng/elibrary/read/1241254> accessed 21 July 2026.
[3]World Metrics, ‘Nigeria Poverty Statistics’ (World Metrics, 2026) <https://worldmetrics.org/nigeria-poverty-statistics/> accessed 21 July 2026.
[4]TG News, ‘Osun mechanic sentenced to 3 years in prison for stealing neighbor’s yam tubers amid hunger’ (TG News, 2025) <https://tgnews.com.ng/osun-mechanic-sentenced-to-3-years-in-prison-for-stealing-neighbors-yam-tubers-amid-hunger/> accessed 21 July 2026.
[5]Esther Odili, ‘Economic hardship: Court jails Ondo man for stealing pot of soup items’ (Legit.ng, 2024) <https://www.legit.ng/nigeria/1578852-economic-hardship-court-jails-ondo-man-stealing-pot-soup-items > accessed 21 July 2026.
[6]Bello Muhammed Abdullahi, ‘Poverty and Inequality in Nigeria’ (Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa, 2025) <https://www.cseaafrica.org/postdetails/poverty-and-inequality-in-nigeria?> accessed 21 July 2026.
[7]Solomon Ekanem, ‘African countries with the highest youth unemployment rate’ (Business Insider Africa, 2024) <https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifestyle/african-countries-with-the-highest-youth-unemployment-rate/06ykn9b> accessed 21 July 2026.
[8]American Psychological Association, ‘Relative deprivation’ (APA Dictionary of Psychology, 2023) <https://dictionary.apa.org/relative-deprivation> accessed 21 July 2026.
[9]Oludayo Tade, ‘Meet the Yahoo Boys: Nigeria’s undergraduate conmen’ (The Conversation, 2016) <https://theconversation.com/meet-the-yahoo-boys-nigerias-undergraduate-conmen-60757> accessed 21 July 2026.
[10]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/396558451_CYBERCRIME_A_THREAT_TO_NATIONAL_SECURITY_IN_NIGERIA
[11]Rotimi Agboluaje, ‘Nigeria records 2.2m kidnappings, ₦2.2tn ransom payments in one year – Report’ (The Guardian Nigeria, 24 May 2026) <https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria-records-2-2m-kidnappings-%e2%82%a62-2tn-ransom-payments-in-one-year-report/#:~:text=Nigeria%20is%20grappling%20with%20alarming%20levels%20of%20insecurity%2C,a%20security%20expert%2C%20Prof.%20Oyesoji%20Aremu%2C%20has%20said.> accessed 21 July 2026.
[12] https://www.lawjournals.net/assets/archives/2026/vol8issue2/8098.pdf?
[13] Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), s 6(6)(c).
[14] Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, ‘Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ (OHCHR, 2026) <https://www.ohchr.org/en/treaty-bodies/cescr> accessed 21 July 2026.
[15]United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, ‘Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’ (United Nations, 2026) <https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4> accessed 21 July 2026.
[16]Ministério do Desenvolvimento e Assistência Social, Família e Combate à Fome, ‘Bolsa Família’ (Gov.br, 2026) <https://www.gov.br/mds/pt-br/acoes-e-programas/bolsa-familia> accessed 21 July 2026.
