Effect of road infrastructure decay on insecurity in Kwara and Kogi states, Nigeria

The bad state of the road network in Nigeria has brought untold hardship to the people. The dilapidated condition of various roads across the country is one of the major causes of insecurity on Nigerian roads. Hence, the need to examine the effect of road infrastructure decay on insecurity along Lokoja-Okene-Kabba-Egbe-Ilorin express road in Kwara and Kogi States, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study are to assess the effect of road infrastructure decay on the occurrence of kidnapping, highway robbery and food insecurity along Lokoja-Okene-Kabba-Egbe-Ilorin express road in Kwara and Kogi States respectively. The study adopts survey research design. Primary data were generated via questionnaire designed in four likert scale. The population of this study is 2,796,139. The population is a finite population and is large, therefore, the entire population was not studied. This study employs scientific sampling technique determination designed by Krejcie and Morgan (1970) that recommends a sample size of 384 for a population above one (1) million. The study employs simple ordinary least square regression technique as a tool of data analysis. The study found that road infrastructural decay has significant positive effect on kidnapping, highway robbery and food insecurity along Lokoja-Okene-Kabba-Egbe-Ilorin express road. The study concludes that road infrastructure decay has the potential to bring about increasing level of insecurity along Lokoja-Okene-Kabba-Egbe-Ilorin express road roads. Lastly, the study concludes that good road is essential to food security in Kogi and Kwara States. The study recommends that there should be conscious efforts on the part of governments at all levels in the country to allocate adequate funds for the improvement of roads in the country.