Democratic Governance and Insecurity: A Study of Enugu State, South East Nigeria, 1999-2019

The relationship between democratic governance and progress in society remains contestable. Some scholars assert a significant positive relationship between democratic governance and socio-economic development, especially in developed countries, while others argue otherwise. In the Nigerian context, democratic governance seems to have been bedevilled by insecurity. The study adopted Frustration-Aggression theory as its theoretical framework and relied on secondary data, key informant interviews and focused group discussion, to delve into the dynamics of insecurity in Enugu State. However, the study concentrated on three successive administrations that differed in their liberal character and adherence to democratic principles. The study finds that the highest level of insecurity was witnessed during the administration of Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, which was also the most illiberal of the three administrations. We conclude that democratic governance did not have any significant impact on security and suggested, among others addressing the major causes of insecurity in the state.