Snitches and Victims

In 2019, the Federal Government of Nigeria alleged that some Nigerians were helping bandits to evade capture. In 2022, the wave may have shifted. Some traditional rulers now want them killed. The reasons may be simple. Banditry is a top security issue in Nigeria. About 2,334 people died in 935 events recorded in 2021, according to the Nextier SPD Violent Conflict Database. Communities in the northwest and northcentral Nigeria have seen the worst of the menace. In 2022, bandits, now officially classified as terrorists by the Nigerian government, are still attacking communities and leaving trails of bodies, blood and ruin behind. Therefore, it is unsurprising for some community stakeholders to ask for the elimination of bandits. However, that is not enough.

Community resistance against bandits must improve. Despite an Emir in Katsina state encouraging extrajudicial punishment for bandits, many residents in other flashpoints are still bandits’ enablers. In 2021, about 2,000 bandits’ informants were arrested in Zamfara state. More informants have been arrested in Sokoto and Niger states. Vigilantes killed about 11 more informants in Zamfara on 5th January 2022. In April 2019, the Federal Government bemoaned that some prominent personalities and traditional leaders in Zamfara state were aiding bandits to worsen insecurity in the state.

Government must push for more community buy-in. The connivance of some residents who serve as informants for bandits undermines security operations. Therefore, the Nigerian government should deploy measures to bring communities closer to the government, especially security agencies. In addition, awareness campaigns to gather support for the Nigerian forces combating bandits would help improve civil-military relations. From news reports, vested interests and other sentimental issues appear to be triggering violence in the region. Military efforts may seem like the best solution to the issue of banditry, but paying close attention to the socio-economic and socio-cultural dimensions of the conflict is equally important in building peace and stability in the area.

Beyond community buy-in, security and human capital development should also be prioritised in the flashpoints. Although community buy-in will help improve combative efforts through access to local intelligence, increasing development assistance for crisis-impacted communities will address the consequences of armed banditry on the population. In addition, the development intervention will help present a good image of the Nigerian state and equally set the pathway for state-community relations.