Nigeria Is 14th Least Peaceful Country In The World – GPI

Nigeria has been ranked 148 out of the 162 countries evaluated on the
reduction of violence and insecurity between 2012 and 2013 by the
Global Peace Index. This rating earns Nigeria the 14th fewer peaceful
country aroundthe world in the rank of countries like Chad, Yemen,
Libya, Syria, and Pakistan among another conflict riddenstates.
The report highlighted that while the number and intensity of internal
conflicts have risen over recent years, hostility between states has
fallen.According to the publisher of the Index, Institute for
Economics and Peace-IEP, "The world has become a less peaceful
place".The 2013 Global Peace Index,ranks 162 countries by measuring
security in society, the extent of conflict and the degree of
militarization. This year's report reinforces a longer-term pattern
they havenoted: since 2008, levels of peace have fallen by 5%.
In Nigeria, this is evident in the multitude of mindless killings and
bombings in the North, untamed manhunt and kidnapping in the South,
endless violence in the East and gross human molestation and abuse of
fundamental rights in the West.
From 2007 to date, Nigeria has consistently ranked low on the index,
signifying worsening state of the nation in terms of peace and
securityin the past six years.
The country ranked 117th out of 121 in 2007; 129th out of 140 in 2008;
129th out of 144 in 2009; 137th out of 149 in 2010; 142nd out of 153
in 2011; 146 out of 158 in 2012.
Recently, A New York-based Human Rights Watch said about 3,600 deaths
has been recorded since a radical sect dubbed Boko Haram began violent
operations in the Northern region of the country in 2009. Although,
government is now waging war against the insurgents through an
emergency rule.
With this rating as the 14th less peaceful country in the world,
Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation and one of the world's largest
oil producer has so much to contend in order to achieve
itsdevelopmental goals.
The global outlook indicated adramatic rise in the number ofhomicides
and more countries,59, increasing their military expenditure as a
percentage of GDP were the key drivers inmaking the world a less
peaceful place, according to the 2013 GPI. This year's findings were
said to underline a six-year trend showing a deterioration of five per
cent in global peace. It indicated that 110 countrieshave seen their
score deteriorate while only 48 became more peaceful. The economic
impact of this five per cent loss in peace came with a cost to the
global economy of US$473 billion last year, or the equivalent to
almost four times Official Development Assistance (ODAs) in 2012; it
unveiled.
The sharp increase in the number of homicides – up eight per cent over
the last year – can be nearly entirely attributed to Latin America and
Sub-Saharan Africa with, for example, the homicide rate in Honduras
further increasing by almost 10 per 100,000 people – becoming the
highest in the world at 92homicides per 100,000 people, the 2013 GPI
revealed.
Steve Killelea, founder and Executive Chairman of the IEP, was quoted
to have said that, "The migration of populations to urban areas in
developing countries has beena key driver in the rise of homicides
worldwide. This hasalso led to an increase in violent crime. It is
essential for the police to gain the trustof those living in city
slums, to achieve this; addressing police corruption would be a first
important step".