THE EFFECTIVENESS OF REGIONAL POLICING IN CURBING INSECURITY IN NIGERIAN: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE AMOTEKUN SECURITY CORPS IN AKOKO-LAND, ONDO STATE.

Despite widespread public attention and political support, the actual impact of Amotekun on local security outcomes remains under-researched, with much of the existing literature focusing on theoretical frameworks and policy discourse rather than empirical evidence. The persistent rise in insecurity across Nigeria, particularly in the southwestern states, has necessitated the development of innovative and localized security measures. This study critically examines the effectiveness of regional policing in curbing insecurity Nigerian: As Assessment of the Amotekun security corps in Akoko-land, Ondo State that has experienced various forms of criminal activities, including armed robbery, kidnapping, and farmer-herder clashes. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data on crime trends with qualitative insights from community members, Amotekun personnel, and other stakeholders. The study explores four primary dimensions: (1) the extent to which Amotekun has contributed to crime reducption in Akoko-land; (2) residents' perceptions of the outfit's effectiveness in enhancing community safety; (3) the operational achievements and obstacles faced by Amotekun; and (4) the nature and influence of inter-agency collaboration between Amotekun and national security forces such as the Nigerian Police and military. Findings reveal a nuanced picture: while Amotekun has made significant strides in improving security visibility and fostering community trust, its effectiveness is constrained by logistical limitations, inadequate manpower, funding challenges, and weak institutional coordination with other security agencies. Results from the analysis revealed that The result revealed the respondents’ responses towards the extent Amotekun contributed to reducing crime and insecurity in Ondo State with a weighted mean score of 3.10 which is higher than the standard mean score of 2.50, the result revealed the respondents’ responses towards how residents of Akoko-land perceive the effectiveness of Amotekun in enhancing their safety with a weighted mean score of 2.99 which is higher than the standard mean score of 2.50 and the result revealed the respondents’ responses towards operational successes and challenges have been encountered by Amotekun in its mission to curb insecurity in Akoko-land with a weighted mean score of 3.04 which is higher than the standard mean score of 2.50. The study concluded that Amotekun has played a crucial role in addressing insecurity in Akokoland, particularly through community-oriented policing. Based on the findings, it was recommended that Ondo State government should prioritize adequate funding and supply of modern equipment to the Amotekun Corps. Keywords: Effectiveness, Amotekun, curbing, insecurity, Akoko-land, sub-region, Ondo State Words: 382