YOUTH RESTIVENESS AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN NIGERIA: BORNO STATE IN PERSPECTIVE

Youth restiveness is one of the greatest security challenges since the emergence of democratic governance in Nigeria’s fourth republic. The menace poses serious threats to the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria with significant effects on life and properties. The far reaching implication of this menace has exhibited itself through increased kidnapping, hostage taking, assassination, maiming, killings, suicide bombings and wanton destruction of the economy, businesses, public and private institutions, infrastructures and the displacement of innocent citizens by young men and women in the country. It is argued in the paper that the challenges of youth restiveness greatly impede socioeconomic and political development in Borno State. Relying on secondary sources of information, data for the study was derived from existing literature and was used to determine the correlation between youth restiveness and socioeconomic development. Using the aggression/frustration theory, it is revealed in the study that youth engage in societal vices due to non- availability of productive opportunities to enable them to be gainfully engaged.