ANALYSIS OF CRIMINAL INVOLVEMENT OF CONVICTED WOMEN BETWEEN 2015-2025 IN SELECTED STATES OF NORTH WEST NIGERIA.

Abstract

This study analyzes the criminal involvement of convicted women in selected states of North West Nigeria between 2015 and 2025. Against a backdrop of rising female incarceration amid regional insecurity and socio-economic challenges, the research investigated the profile of offenders, the types of crimes committed, and the nature of their criminal collaboration. Guided by Marxist Feminist and Women’s Liberation theories, the study employed a mixed-methods design, administering surveys to 108 convicted women across correctional facilities in Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina States, and conducting key informant interviews with 16 judicial and correctional officials. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Findings reveal that convicted women are predominantly young (55.6% aged 18–35), married (54.6%), with secondary education (37.0%), and are largely economically vulnerable (58.3% earning below ₦30,000 monthly). They are involved in a spectrum of serious crimes, categorized as Violent Crimes (34.2%), notably culpable homicide (29.6%); Organized Crimes (32.5%) such as child stealing (13.0%) and transporting arms/ammunition (9.3%); Financial Crimes (15.0%); and Drug-Related Crimes (13.3%). Crime types show state specificities: violent crimes, especially homicide, dominate in Kano; organized crimes like child stealing are concentrated in Kaduna; and drug-related offenses are most prevalent in Katsina. While 65.7% of survey respondents claimed to have acted alone, qualitative evidence from officials indicates that women’s criminal activities frequently involve accomplices, primarily friends/co-workers (45.9%) and family members (27.0%), operating within hidden networks. The study concludes that women’s criminal involvement in the region is a localized, structured phenomenon, increasingly shifting from petty, individual acts to more organized and serious offenses. It recommends targeted interventions, including adult education and literacy campaigns, counter-recruitment programs in vulnerable communities, and the integration of ethics training into educational curricula to address the root causes and evolving patterns of women’s involvement in crime.