ECONOMIC COSTS OF DIVISIVE SOCIAL CONFLICTS IN NIGERIA AND THE PUBLIC RELATIONS ANTIDOTE FOR MANAGING THE PROBLEM

This study undertook a critical analysis of the economic costs of the incessant ethno-religious and social conflicts in Nigeria on the nation and its citizens. It was motivated by the disturbingly rising trends of violence, bombings, kidnappings and wanton destruction of lives and property in the country. The study objectives were to determine the correlation between conflicts and poverty in the land and also ascertain the geographic and spatial distribution of conflicts and poverty in the country. For the methodology, the study adopted qualitative situation analysis format (QSAF), where secondary data from credible national and international statistical organizations were entirely used. Results obtained show that the rate of social crises and conflicts in Nigeria have significant correlation to the degree of poverty in the land; that geographic zones of the country with higher rates of poverty are more prone to and have recorded more conflicts, while the rural areas with more poverty rates have also witnessed more insurgency attacks in recent time than the cities. Based on this outcome, some institutional and public relations measures were proffered as panacea for the problem