Has Palliatives Reduced the Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Human Security in Southwestern Nigeria?

The emergence of COVID-19 pandemic and the consequence lockdown stimulated palliatives implementation towards reducing the impact of lockdown on the citizens but it appears that in Nigeria, palliative is yet to have significant impact on human security as hunger, poverty and insecurity continue to exacerbate in the country. Reviewed literature inspired that researches scarcely address palliatives impact on human security but profusely concentrated on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. This present study interrogate the various palliatives implemented by Federal Government of Nigeria and examine whether palliatives have reduced the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on human security in Southwestern Nigeria. The social assistance theory underscored this study but humanitarian obligation theory is used to supported it. Both Qualitative and Quantitative Research Design (QQRD) were adopted. The Multistage Level Sampling Techniques (MLST) was employed to select 200 population sample size from male and female Nigerians across the six states in the Southwestern Nigeria and a 4-point Likert style rating scale closed ended questionnaire was distributed to obtain responses. The gathered responses was analysed electronically using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The outcome of the study shows there are eleven palliatives implemented but the extent palliatives have reduced the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on human security in Southwestern Nigeria is low and recommends that palliatives should be reviewed and expanded to address core COVID-19 lockdown-induced Human Security Threats (HSTs), otherwise, threats will thrive and achieving economic recovery as well as sustainable development in Nigeria through palliative will remain an illusion.