The Rise of Crimes in Urban Kano: An Empirical Analysis

Crime as global phenomenon occurs in every society and has negatively affects the wellbeing of people and subject them to vulnerabilities and dangers of different degrees.  It is obvious that there is no crime free society on earth, only that the nature, pattern and rate vary in time and space, making it a multidimensional phenomenon that requires thorough examination and analysis. The nature and the rate at which crime occurs is alarming as new crimes are emerging and proliferating across societies, leading to serious consequences on lives and properties of people in the society. Today, the dimension of crimes in urban areas has changed from minor to grievous victimization that resulted to serious injuries, vandalization of properties, loss of lives and distortion of business activities. Accordingly, the study investigates the rise of crimes in urban cities with Kano being a point of reference. In view of this, factors such as poverty, unemployment, peer group influence, corruption, drug and substance abuse, broken home and illiteracy among many others were identified as factors responsible for the rise of crimes in Kano and other urban cities in Nigeria. These factors were said to have provide a fertile ground and encourage the perpetration of various crimes in contemporary Nigeria which continue to sabotage the social, economic and political development of the country and its good image in the eyes of other countries across the globe. The study empirically x-rayed the rise of urban crimes in Kano with a view of examining their underlying causes, effects and the existing measures of addressing the menace of such crimes. Routine activity theory was used in providing a theoretical framework for the study. The study finally, proffer some recommendations in line with its findings to provoke new policy formulation and the review of the existing ones to facilitate effective crime prevention and control in urban cities.