EXPLORING DRIVERS AND OUTCOMES OF YOUTH RESTIVENESS IN PALKO TOWN: A LOCALIZED PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examines the drivers and outcomes of youth restiveness in Paiko Town, Paikoro Local Government Area, Niger State, Nigeria. Using a localized perspective, the research investigates the common types of restiveness among youths and their effects on both young people and the broader community. Quantitative methodology was adopted, and survey research design was used. The population of the study comprised all the residents of Paiko Town, amounting to four hundred and seventy-nine thousand (479,000). The sample size of the study was four hundred (400). A questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection, and three hundred and sixty (360) copies of the questionnaire were retrieved. The data collected was analyzed and interpreted using frequency tables and simple percentages. The study revealed that political marginalization restiveness is the most prevalent form of youth restiveness. The study also found out that loss of life and property destruction represents the most devastating effect. The study concluded that youth restiveness in Paiko Town poses a profound threat to community stability, affecting not just physical safety and social cohesion but also undermining educational progress, economic development, and effective governance. The Study recommended that the Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with state governments and development partners, should implement comprehensive youth employment programs, including skills acquisition centers, entrepreneurship support schemes, and public works projects. Also, the Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Services, and community leaders should establish integrated security and conflict prevention mechanisms that address both immediate threats and long-term peacebuilding