CULT-RELATED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND THE SAFETY OF RURAL DWELLERS IN SELECTED STATES OF THE SOUTH-SOUTH GEO-POLITICAL ZONE OF NIGERIA
Keywords:
Cultism, kidnapping, arson, rural safety and South-South NigeriaAbstract
This study examined cult-related criminal activities and the safety of rural dwellers in selected states of the South-South Geo-Political Zone Of Nigeria with specific focus on kidnapping and arson as dimensions of cult-related crimes. The study adopt Routine Activity Theory. The study employed a cross-sectional survey research design to investigate how these criminal activities influence rural safety outcomes. The study was conducted in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers States, with a sample size of 384 respondents selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, validated through reliability testing using Cronbach’s Alpha, and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0. Simple Linear Regression was used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that kidnapping significantly predicts the safety of rural dwellers, F(1,382) = 368.93, p < .001. Similarly, arson was found to significantly predict rural safety, F(1,382) = 244.87, p < .001. The study concludes that cult-related kidnapping and arson substantially threaten the security conditions of rural populations. It recommends strengthening rural security infrastructure, improving surveillance systems, establishing effective emergency response mechanisms, and enhancing community-based security strategies to safeguard rural dwellers in the South-South region of Nigeria.
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