UNPACKING THE NEXUS BETWEEN STRUCTURAL INJUSTICE AND INSECURITY IN NIGERIA'S FOURTH REPUBLIC.

The paper examined insecurity emanating from structural injustice and power relations that unethically harm specific groups and jeopardize socioeconomic cum political development in Nigeria. At the demise of military rule in 1999, citizens were wrapped up in democratic dividends predicated on the rule of law, which determines the actions and inactions of the power elite. However, these expectations were far-fetched as the power elite exploited and oppressed the hiopolloi beyond reduction. Consequently, this unfairness has resulted in protracted conflicts in various parts of the country. The expected public good is now a mirage and horrendous to citizens. The non-state actors operating in various parts of the country continuously contended the monopoly of the legitimate use of violence with the Nigerian state. The study adopted the relative deprivation theory and the Theory of Justice as its theoretical construct. The paper relied on a secondary data-gathering technique. The study revealed that structural injustice is to maintain a class structure inherited from the colonist, ethnic chauvinism competition, and corruption, among others. The paper recommends amongst others, effective national dialogue in the country