THE EFFECT OF EXTORTION AS AN OFFENCE AGAINSTS PROPERTY UNDER NIGERIAN LAW

Abstract

As one of the prominent civil crimes increasingly committed during the current
decade, extortion is considered as some commitment against social security which lead to
robbing individuals’ belongings through exercising violence or utilizing different weapons.
Criminology science not only emphasis on the criminal behavior with regard to the
commitment of crimes but also underscores the victim’s behavior with respect to the
realization of criminal phenomenon. Here, the behavior and manner of victims cannot be
overlooked with reference to the commitment of crimes. The current study focuses on the
victim’s role in the commitment of extortion crimes as a potential factor. Criminal
misappropriation and criminal breach of trust exist as distinct offences only under the Penal
Code. The differences between the two offences is very marginal. Those two offences differ
from theft only because the offender is in the possession of the property at the time of the
commission of the offence. In theft the property must have been possessed by the person other
than the offender. All these offences will amount to stealing under the Criminal Code while
extortion as an offence differ by the element that constitute the offence of extortion.