Vol. 26 No.1 2023 AJPSSI AFRICAN JOURNAL FOR THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY OF SOCIAL ISSUES Page | 79 3 THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF INSECURITY IN NIGERIA Kunle OLAWUNMI Criminology and Security Studies Department Chrisland University Ajebo Road, Abeokuta, Nigeria ABSTRACT There is an existential threat to most societies through natural competition between groups over limited resources. The political process in Nigeria exemplifies the absence of requisite national spirit, give oddity to human values and these idiosyncrasies inflame insecurity, violence, underdevelopment, corruption, and poverty in the nation. Economic and social integration theory, resource mobilization theory and cultural theories were applied in this paper. The article thus, exploits economic and social integration theory, resource mobilization theory and cultural theories to articulate the reason that toxic politics is the bane of the Nigerian society. INTRODUCTION Going by the assumptions of the social contract theory, people submitted to the will of the state in exchange for security of their lives and properties. This implies that the most fundamental of the functions of the state is the provision of safety for the citizens and the promotion of their welfare. However, the situation in Nigeria deviates from the Hobbesian theoretical expectation to the extent that the capability of the Nigerian state to defend the territory from external aggressors and internal insurgency has become questionable. This could be attributed to the politicization of security in Nigeria which seems to provoke the periodic emergence of harmful ethnic militias. The huge population base with more than half being uneducated and living in abject poverty provide a fertile ground for the insurgents to recruit foot soldiers from the teaming youths who already feel alienated and abandoned by the political elites. Since the Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the country has witnessed multiple security challenges which have been subjecting the residents to fear and trepidation. These include the 1967-1970 civil war, military coups, terrorism, insurgent activities, and lack of good governance, among others. Analogous to this state of affair is the widespread ethnic groupings estimated to be about two hundred and fifty and speaks about 500 different languages within them which propelled contestations leading to several ethnic rivalry and conflicts. Aside these is also the concern about religion, with a Muslim-dominated North and a broadly Christian South competing despite assured secularity provided in the 1999 Constitution as amended. Nigeria does have appeals. It is the fourth largest gas supplier to Europe, and in recent times as Russia invaded Ukraine, and with its gas blackmail, the EU now looks towards Nigeria as sources of fuel. Despite the economic fortune, Nigeria’s political landscape is skewed in favor of religion and ethnicity, precipitating friction and boisterous polity. As Nigeria is fueled with ethno-religious issues and cynical Federal Character principle, the political process often throws up the worst character within the civil society as merit is often not used as criteria in governance. Nigeria is