Salient Reasons why violent crimes are increasing in Nigeria

Hungry and malnurished children… The Borno Emergency Management Agency said that about 450 children have died of malnutrition in 28 Internally Displaced Persons’ camps in the state in 2015… Children who often go hungry have a greater risk of developing impulse control problems and engaging in violence, according to new University of Texas (UT) Dallas, United States (U.S.)

Children who often go hungry have a greater risk of developing impulse control problems and engaging in violence, according to new University of Texas (UT) Dallas, United States (U.S.) research.

The study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found that people who experienced frequent hunger as kids were more than twice as likely to exhibit impulsivity and injure others intentionally as adolescents and adults.

Thirty-seven percent of the study’s participants who had frequent hunger as children reported that they had been involved in interpersonal violence. Of those who experienced little to no childhood hunger, 15 percent said they were involved in interpersonal violence. The findings were strongest among whites, Hispanics and males.

Previous research has shown that childhood hunger contributes to a variety of other negative outcomes, including poor academic performance. The study is among the first to find a correlation between childhood hunger, low self-control and interpersonal violence.

“Good nutrition is not only critical for academic success, but now we’re showing that it links to behavioral patterns. When kids start to fail in school, they start to fail in other domains of life,” said Dr. Alex Piquero, Ashbel Smith Professor of Criminology and associate dean for graduate programs in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences.

Researchers used data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions to examine the relationship between childhood hunger, impulsivity and interpersonal violence. Participants in that study responded to a variety of questions including how often they went hungry as a child, whether they have problems controlling their temper, and if they had physically injured another person on purpose.

More than 15 million U.S. children face food insecurity — not having regular access to adequate nutrition, according to the study. Piquero said the results highlight the importance of addressing communities known as food deserts that have little access to grocery stores with healthy food choices.

The findings suggest that strategies aimed at alleviating hunger may also help reduce violence, Piquero said.“At the very least, we need to get children the nutritional food they need,” Piquero said. “It’s not a very difficult problem to address, and we can envision lots of gains.”Piquero also has co-authored other recent studies related to the role that self-control plays in delinquency and violence.

‘We have no hands in fake drugs distribution’

Government plans borrow N165b to pay civil servants

Adeosun charges striking workers to find ways of increasing revenue

With fast declining revenue, the Federal Government said yesterday it is now faced with the prospect of borrowing to meet the monthly civil service wage bill of N165 billion.

Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, who had met with protesting workers of her ministry on Wednesday, said in a statement in Abuja yesterday that she does not have any power to pay N1.2 billion, which was not in the budget of the Ministry.

The minister said she had put all government departments to real squeeze in finances as the country grapples with the financial crisis inherited from previous administrations.

Pointing out that many people across the country are now struggling to find work, with some losing theirs, while civil servants in many states are not getting their salaries, the minister urged her ministry workers to be grateful for getting their salaries on consistent basis and work together to get the whole economy back on its feet.

At the meeting to reconcile all parties involved in the workers’ protest, it was agreed that the ministry’s management would meet with unions to consider the issues raised and map out ways to reach resolutions on of before today.

The minister had met with staff unions at the ministry on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing dispute over additional payments, where she urged them to present their grievances in a structured and articulated manner so that each issue would be formally presented and addressed on its merit.

While she expressed understanding for their demand for additional bonuses, based on their past dealings with the previous administration, she explained that she does not have any power to pay N1.2 billion, especially the one that is not in the budget.

The minister added that while government is determined to end the ongoing impasse over bonus and allowance with the workers, the labour unions should propose modalities that would increase revenue generation and structure to pay the bonuses.

Furthermore, Adeosun revealed that the Director of Administration has been ordered to review all the claims and present solutions for all legitimate claims relating to working materials and ensure that such claims are resolved immediately through the ministry’s processes.

According to Adeosun, the most important thing at the moment is for management and staff to get a common understanding of what the government needed to do to regain financial stability.

A reliable source from the ministry told The Guardian that the minister warned of a grave impact on all Nigerians and consequent delay of the payment of June 2016 salary should there be a further lockout.