Zamfara Journal of Politics and Development

APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE NIGERIAN IMMIGRATION SERVICE: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

2024-10-17T15:48:52+00:00

The study examines the challenges and prospects of the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in service delivery in the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). The paper investigates the potential benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) integration in immigration services for addressing cross-border crime, ensuring precise and prompt operations, and evaluating the potential obstacles and opportunities associated with AI implementation. The qualitative descriptive research design was utilized in this study to gather, analyse, and interpret data. Data were collected through secondary sources. The Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI) serves as the foundation for this investigation. Findings revealed that the application of AI in service delivery in Nigerian Immigration service may violate individual’s right to privacy, discrimination and biases. On the flip side of the coin, AI application in the services of NIS shows a green light of prospects which include effective and efficient processes of immigration application, secure identity verification at border controls, improve forecasting and resource allocation etc. The study concludes that despite its challenges the application of artificial intelligence in the Nigerian Immigration Services would have enormous impact on its service delivery. Subsequently, the study recommended amongst others, that the government and management of NIS should invest more in infrastructure to enable the service to key into the potentials of artificial intelligence, provide training for staff of management of NIS on the use of artificial intelligence and address the challenges of data connectivity and internet availability.

LEADERSHIP, FOLLOWERSHIP AND ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. A STUDY OF NIGERIAN PORT AUTHORITY

2024-10-17T16:09:57+00:00

Leaders and followers interchangeably form basis for each other in those leaders lead because there are followers, and followers follow because there are leaders and therefore a reciprocal social process. Recently, across the globe, followership is gaining prominence and can no longer be ignored. Leadership on the other hand is the process of decision-making and a mechanism by which decisions are implemented or otherwise. The paper relied on documentary method of data collection as it also implored content analysis. In this paper, the discussion will center on leadership and followership as engine of an organisations; their implications for actions that will promote good leadership and followership for the developmental process, as well as failures, problems and challenges of Nigerian Port Authority. Recommendations for actions were offered for enhancing robust leadership and followership relationship in Nigerian Port Authority for development of the organization.

CRISES AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN NORTH-WESTERN NIGERIA: THE ROLE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

2024-10-20T17:06:29+00:00

The onslaught of Banditry and kidnapping activities have devastated Northwest parts of Nigeria which implies peace and security eluding the region and the country at large, unless some other actions are pursued as alternative means of attaining sustainable tranquillity in the country. To this end this paper explored the application of principles and techniques of public relations as method of achieving attitudinal transformation for winning the terrorists. The process involves professional practices which will subtly and surely revise the violent disposition of the terrorists through the use of communication. Descriptive analysis was applied encompassing review of literature, theoretical framework and recommendations which include government’s use of professional public relations practitioners and consultants; training and retraining of media and communication practitioners on global best practices of coverage of national security issues, and preparedness with reliable strategic action plans for effective management of future crisis situations like the Banditry in North West.

PATRIARCHY AND POLITICS OF EXCLUSION IN NIGERIA: INTERROGATING THE CULTURAL AND POLICY DIMENSIONS OF THE PHENOMENON

2024-10-20T17:21:09+00:00

The Nigerian political space is such that it is gender biased. This politics of exclusion became worse after 1999. Thereby violating the value of inclusivity which is the hallmark of democratic government. By examining participants' opinions, this study interrogates the underlying issues and drivers of the politics of exclusion in contemporary Nigeria. The study employs a quantitative methodology to know how participants assess the phenomenon. The study results reveal that cultural beliefs have significantly placed women in a disadvantaged position in politics. Furthermore, poor execution of both domestic and international policy on gender equality in politics was also implicated in the study. Other insignificant factors such as poor education and lack of support among women in local and national politics were also discovered to be limiting women's political relevance in the country. The immediate need for a wider sensitization programme especially among men to accommodate women within the political space and appeal to government agencies, and political parties are strongly recommended in this study to ensure gender balance in the country.

THE EFFECT OF DIGITALIZATION OF ELECTION PROCESSES ON VOTER TURNOUT IN THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS: A STUDY OF SOKOTO STATE, NIGERIA

2024-10-24T21:08:33+00:00

This study examines the effect of the digitalisation of electoral processes on voter turnout in Sokoto State, Nigeria, within the context of low historical voter participation and significant socio-economic challenges. Utilising a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 362 registered voters across three key local government areas. The analysis revealed that while most of the electorate acknowledged the ease of voting provided by digital tools, there remains substantial skepticism about their effectiveness in enhancing voter turnout and transparency. Key concerns include security, privacy issues, technical glitches, and a general lack of familiarity with digital processes. Theoretical frameworks such as the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and theories of political participation were employed to interpret these findings, highlighting the need for a comprehensive, multifaceted approach that includes enhancing voter education, improving necessary infrastructures, implementing robust security measures, engaging with communities to tailor digital solutions, advocating for supportive policies, and establishing rigorous monitoring and evaluation practices. This study underscores the complexity of digitalising elections and the need for a comprehensive approach to address the challenges and potentials in developing regions like Sokoto State.

ASSESSMENT OF UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGEE (UNHCR) EMPOWERMENT, TRAINING AND LIVELIHOOD OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

2024-11-16T19:35:30+00:00

Internally displaced persons all over the world are often confronted with challenges such as the inability to have access to basic necessities of life due to displacement from their natural habitat thereby requiring support and aid from government and international humanitarian agencies. This study examined the impact of UNHCR empowerment training on the livelihood of IDPs in Benue State. Cosmopolitan theory was used as framework of analysis. The paper adopts cross-section survey design. The sample size for the study was 384 using Krejcie and Morgan (1970) while questionnaire and interview were used as instruments for data collection. Data from questionnaire were presented, analysed and interpreted using frequency distribution table and percentage with likert scale forming the basis; while result from interview were analysed thematically. Findings revealed minimal significant positive impact of UNHCR skill acquisition programmes on livelihood of IDPs in Benue State considering the proportion of the beneficiaries’ visa viz the number of IDPs in the state. Findings further indicated that the provision of emergency assistance such as food, shelter, WASH and Cash Based Intervention by UNHCR equally had a minimal improvement in the living conditions of the beneficiaries. The study submits that UNHCR needs to expand her empowerment programme to accommodate a reasonable number of IDPs for more impact on their livelihood. The paper recommends among others that UNHCR, Benue State Government as well as critical stakeholders should collaborate in funding the establishment of skills acquisition centres across the state, provide funds and start up kits for trainees for optimal utilization.

ASSESSING THE RESTRUCTURING OF SOCIAL REALITIES THROUGH RADIO DRAMA IN NIGERIA

2024-11-17T14:10:39+00:00

The uproar and drive for restructuring in Nigeria has been an ongoing topic for sometimes. This can be connected to numerous factors one of which is the situation of the state displeasure. Under this condition, unity must exist before sustainable reorganization can be reached. The issue facing Nigeria now is of integration consequently, our unity has been fragile and has become a hazard. Thus, the objective of this article is to find out how effective radio drama is in restructuring our society and to determine how a well-presented radio drama can bring about a desired social change. The paper was anchored on development media theory, also this research drew on secondary data to demonstrate how radio might be utilised to address challenges that brings development. Findings from this article suggest that radio drama can be used in reforming and bringing harmony in the society. It proposes that for restructuring to take place in a society, media practitioner needs to raise knowledge on societal occurrences, national unity, and understanding to bring about change in society.

IMPACTS OF UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID) ON WOMEN POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA, NIGERIA

2024-12-03T15:16:33+00:00

The issue of women in politics has dominated political debate since Nigeria gained its independence. Nigerian women have not received the kind of representation that is required to enable them influence the political space like their male counterparts as this makes it difficult for women to be part of the decision-making process. The study examined the impacts of USAID’s on women’s political participation in the FCT. The study adopted Liberal feminism theory to explain gradual improvements through advocating for equal rights for all, and legislation and policies that promote equality. The study relied on both questionnaire and interview and secondary sources of data. 327 copies of questionnaire were administered while 318 copies of questionnaire were duly completed and retrieved. Interviews were equally held with purposively selected members from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UN Women Nigeria Country Office, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), USAID Beneficiaries in the FCT and the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF). The data from copies of questionnaire retrieved were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 20) and presented on table using frequency and simple percentage, while data generated from interview and secondary sources were analyzed using content analysis. The findings of this paper reveal that USAID plays an important role in advancing gender equality in Nigeria. USAID has shown tremendous commitment to its aim of promoting gender equality in Nigeria in the four thematic areas of engagement through campaigns and advocacy, capacity building, partnerships and strategic alliances; service delivery and improving access to services. However, despite its efforts, the UN Women has faced challenges which undermine effectiveness of its programmes and works in Nigeria. The paper concludes that institutional structures that hinder the progress of gender equality in Nigeria should be addressed so as to solve the socioeconomic problems that have posed a major threat to the UN women programmes and works. Thus, the paper recommends creating an enabling environment for women to participate in politics should be prioritized. On their own part, Civil society organizations have an important role to play in conducting information and awareness-raising campaigns to encourage women to stand for election, give women reorientation to what politics is all about.

INSECURITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF SOKOTO STATE (2015-2021)

2024-12-03T15:28:45+00:00

The alarming level of Insecurity in Nigeria has fuelled the crime rate and terrorist attacks in different part of the country. The situation has deteriorated that some communities in Sokoto state now experience weekly invasion by gunmen, who abduct residents and take them to an 'unknown destination. This study aims to examine the impact of insecurity and sustainable democracy in Sokoto state and the specific objectives were to examine the nature and character of Insecurity, explain the extent to which insecurity affected the development of democracy and also to discuss the solution to insecurity in Sokoto State. The research adopted Frustration Aggression theory as the theoretical framework which says that aggression is the result of blocking, frustrating, and a person record to attain a goal, the theory also concerns the redirection of or displacement of aggression. The sample size of the study was 246 residents of Sokoto state. The data for this study was collected from primary and secondary sources, the study uses descriptive statistical tools for the analysis of data gathered from the questionnaire. Findings from the study suggest that the greatest challenge to the security of Sokoto state and Nigeria at large is the army of poor and unemployed youth, statistics shows that the present state of unemployment in the country is fifty percent, while the national poverty rate is over seventy percent of the population. These have led to a surge in criminal activities in Nigeria. The study recommended a need by the government to provide adequate security in the country and adequate security needs to be provided during electoral campaigns and during the conduct of election, also people should be more security conscious, share information with the authorities. Furthermore, the study also recommended government to increase the size of Nigeria’s security agencies, empower and motivate them very well and strengthen neighborhood watch.

THE IMPACT OF INSECURITY ON AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF BENUE STATE (2011-2023)

2025-01-17T19:15:14+00:00

This study investigates the impact of insecurity on agricultural development in Nigeria from 2011 to 2023, with Benue State as its focus. Nigeria's agricultural sector is critical to its economy, providing employment and food security for a significant portion of the population. However, persistent insecurity, driven by factors such as Boko Haram insurgency, herder-farmer conflicts, banditry, and kidnappings, has severely disrupted agricultural activities. Insecurity has led to restricted access to farmlands, displacement of farming communities, and disruption of supply chains, exacerbating food insecurity and poverty. Additionally, the study examines the government's response and policy interventions aimed at mitigating the impact of insecurity on agriculture. Despite various initiatives, the effectiveness of these measures remains limited due to ongoing violence and inadequate implementation. The study adopts the Human Security Framework as its theoretical framework. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data analysis of agricultural output, economic reports, and security incidents with qualitative interviews of affected farmers, agricultural experts, and policymakers. The findings reveal a significant decline in agricultural productivity, marked by reduced crop yields, livestock losses, and abandoned farmlands. This study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive security reforms and sustainable agricultural policies to restore and enhance agricultural productivity in Nigeria. The findings of the study contribute to a deeper understanding of the nexus between security and agriculture, offering policy recommendations to address the challenges and foster a resilient agricultural sector.

THE CONUNDRUM OF ACCIDENTAL LEADERSHIP AS NIGERIA’S QUAGMIRE

2025-01-17T19:20:23+00:00

Nigeria, since independence has worn a toga of a land of immense untapped potentials. Sixty-four years have passed and the potential remains just that – a potential. With vast human and material resources, large arable land, and equable weather conditions, Nigeria manages to exist on the fringes of the global stage trapped in the quagmire of under-development. Nigeria’s under-developed state has been underlined by insecurity, corruption, maladministration and clueless adventurists masquerading as political actors. All these are but symptoms of a deeper malaise that has held the nation bound: the bane of unprepared and accidental leaders. The problematizes the leadership factor as being the main factor responsible for the state of Nigeria’s underdevelopment, situating the discussion at the intersection of the arrested development of Nigeria, the primacy of leadership and governance as a panacea for development and the historical reality of accidental and unprepared Presidents and Heads of Government in Nigeria. Pinpointed in the work is the menace of political godfatherism in Nigeria’s political economy and the skewed leadership recruitment processes that overlook meritocratic, ethical, and inclusive leadership ethos that would harness Nigeria’s diversities and differences into strengths, resorting instead to values of loyalty and narrow interests for leadership recruitment. The paper concludes that Nigeria requires a transparent, equitable, and responsible system for leadership recruitment at all levels of governance as a sine qua non for sustainable development.

FOOD SECURITY ASSESSMENT OF RURAL HOUSEHOLDS AROUND BANDITRY PRONE AREAS, OF NORTH WESTERN NIGERIA

2025-02-22T12:24:53+00:00

The activity of bandits in North western Nigeria has been on the increase by day, many farmers especially rural dwellers were forced to abandoned their farm lands which in return has adversely affected the food security situation among rural households in the region. This study examined set to examine the effect of banditry activities on rural household food security in Northwestern Nigeria. The data for the study was collected from sampled households in some selected banditry prone communities of Zamfara and Katsina States respectively. The findings of the study have revealed that banditry has seriously affected food security of rural households in the area. The bandits’ crimes have endangered farming activities, as they rustled livestock, destroyed food storage facilities, attack markets, and disrupts existing food supply chains which adversely affect supply and quality of food in the affected areas. The study recommends the needs for increasing stations of duty post and personals in the affected areas especially areas where access to farm lands were denied. Also, the study recommends the involvement, training and empowering of vigilant personnel to complement the effort of government in handling the bandits.