SCAVENGING AND SECURITY CHALLENGES IN AKWA IBOM STATE: A CASE ANALYSIS OF UYO METROPOLIS

The study investigates the reason why scavenging business has degenerateto the extent of becoming security risk by generating several securitychallenges in the state. The objective of the study was to find out the reasonswhether scavengers were responsible for security challenges in Akwa IbomState, particularly in Uyo metropolis. The ex-post facto research design,and content analysis were adopted as for the study. The study adopted theTheory of Human Needs by Abraham Maslow as its theoretical framework.The study asked a question to know whether scavengers were responsiblefor security challenges in rural communities in Akwa Ibom State,particularly in Uyo metropolis. The only finding in the study as drawn fromthe empirical survey showed that, Scavengers also directly responsible forsecurity challenges in rural communities in Akwa Ibom State, particularlyin Uyo metropolis. Based on the finding, it was recommended that, the StateGovernment should strengthen its Task Force on Scavenging and otherCriminal Offenses by providing special funding and also conscriptingmembers of the rural communities to watch over the activities of scavengersin their various communities and report any criminal element to lawenforcement agency in the state.