Salvaging Katsina

Katsina state is under siege by bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers and cattle rustlers, who have operated largely unfettered. While most attacks have been on rural communities within the state, their operations have also restricted movements along major roads. In the most recent incident, an unspecified number of people were abducted in the Dandume Local Government Area (LGA). The incident is a reminder that the insecurity in the state appears unending. The Dandume LGA is amongst many others in the state beset with security challenges. The modus operandi of the bandits often entails attacking from the periphery and withdrawing into the expansive Rogo forest reserve, extending for many kilometres into neighbouring states. According to the Conservator General National Park Service, Dr Ibrahim Goni, 1,129 square meters of forest reserves and national parks in Nigeria serve as hideouts for terrorists and bandits. Between January 2021 and July 2023, about 140 incidents leading to 509 deaths and 540 kidnappings have been recorded in Katsina state, according to the Nextier Violent Conflict Database.

Addressing the insecurity in the state has seen the leadership ply some strategies that have raised a few eyebrows about the approach’s effectiveness in dealing with the insecurity. The state government had made efforts to address the unending violence. Former Katsina state Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, convened top government officials, security operatives, traditional rulers, and representatives of Miyetti Allah for a session with representatives of bandits terrorising the state. The agreement included the release of captives from both the government and bandits, while an unspecified sum was given to the bandits to end the killings and insecurity. The agreements made were short-lived, and the insecurity has continued to date.

To address the use of ungoverned spaces and expansive tree cover that pose as operational bases for criminal elements, there is a pressing need for greater collaboration between National Park Service personnel and the Nigerian Armed Forces through personnel combat training and intelligence gathering and dissemination. While the focus has often been on the need for increased securitisation, there is a need to make concerted efforts from the state and federal institutions to provide employment opportunities and address other socioeconomic lapses that push people to resort to violent conflicts. With the failed approach of negotiating with terrorists through amnesty programmes and cash payments, there is a need to expunge all avenues that give the terrorists bargaining power while using a tactically united security force in combat action.

Recommended Reading

• Amnesty for Bandits
• Governing Ungoverned Spaces