Combating youth restiveness and social vices as a panacea for self-reliance and national security in Nigeria

With the advent of new world order, there have been various efforts put in place in order to summon the attendant challenges therein. These challenges are more pronounced in the sub Saharan Africa. However, the critical aspect of these upheavals is that of youth restiveness and the related social vices. The case of Nigeria is becoming alarming thereby threatening the socioeconomic and political stability. Particularly, the geopolitical zones namely South- South, South East, North- North, North West, North Central and North East in one way or another recorded violent destructions. For instance, Militia group known as Independent people of Biafra (IPOB), the Oduduwa peoples progress (OPC), the prolong Jukun- Tiv violence in the North Central and the most violent activities of the Farmers- Herders violent, the youth restiveness in the North West of Zamfara State characterized by adoption and kidnapping, the North East recorded yet another humanitarian crises of our times known as the Boko- Haram. The paper strongly argues that most of the participants in all these violent destructions are youths. Illicit Drugs have been identified as cardinal inspiration for violence. Under the influence of narcotics and related substances enormously contributed to youth restiveness. This restiveness to large extent threatens the corporate existence of Nigeria as a political entity. Thus, National security of Nigeria remains bleak as a result of these forms of threats in the political zones in the Nigerian polity. This paper recommends that good governance and social justice can go a long way in combating youth restiveness in Nigeria.