Cite this article as: Abdullahi Y. & Ibrahim A. (2024). Banditry in Northwestern Nigeria: Reflection on some Critical Issues. Proceedings of International Conference on Rethinking Security through the lens of Humanities for Sustainable National Development Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Pp. 33-40.
BANDITRY IN NORTHWESTERN NIGERIA: REFLECTION ON
SOME CRITICAL ISSUES
By
Dr. Yusuf Abdullahi
Department of History and Strategic Studies
Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State
And
Ahmed Ibrahim
Department of History and International
Studies
Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State
Abstract: The Northwest states
comprise seven states; Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and
Zamfara with 186 Local Government Areas. This area is significant in Nigeria’s
economy and politics to the level that it has the highest number of eligible
voters (22,672,373) in the 2023 General elections. However, for over a decade,
the major contending issue that has served as a threat to the area is
insecurity, which manifest largely in the form of kidnapping and banditry. This
phenomenon has affected the region in terms of agriculture, trade, human
relations, and demography, and has increased the level of poverty in the area,
leading to abuse of human rights. Research on kidnapping and banditry has paid
greater attention to the impact of these menaces on the region, and, to some
extent, on some of the causes. The essence of this work is to examine some
critical issues that have aided the persistence of kidnapping, banditry, and
general insecurity in northwestern Nigeria. The work derived secondary data
from journals, books, newspapers, and the internet. Data obtained were
subjected to scrutiny and were analyzed, corroborated and interpreted. The work
discovered that some factors were responsible for the persistence of kidnapping
and banditry in northwestern Nigeria. These include forests that became
ungoverned spaces, proliferation of weapons, drugs, failure to resolve
farmers-herders’ conflicts and so on.
The findings should be useful to subsequent researchers, policymakers,
and security agencies in addressing the challenges of insecurity in Nigeria.
Data will be obtained primarily from secondary sources.
Introduction
Kidnapping and banditry have been in the history of human beings
since time immemorial. Human beings have been in conflicts with their natural
environment and with their fellow human beings to earn a living. Sometimes,
conflict arises as part of human nature that man is selfish, egoistic, and a
political animal, with a tendency to dominate and accumulate.[1]
This tendency, in some cases, leads to kidnapping, banditry, and conflicts.
Walter Rodney has shown that kidnapping was one of the means through which
people were enslaved in the past.[2]
Other means, for the enslavement of people, as he mentions, include warfare,
trickery, and ambush. In the African past and elsewhere, banditry and
kidnapping occurred and captives released only after the payment of ransom.
This phenomenon generates uncertainty in places where it occurred, makes people
insecure, and dislocates social and economic activities. Kidnapping and
banditry have resurfaced in different parts of northwestern Nigeria. The
northwest comprises of states such Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa,
Kaduna, and Zamfara. In this region, particularly in Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna,
and Kebbi, banditry is occurring at alarming rates. Based on the Crime Experience and Security
Perception Survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), between May 2023
and April 2024, an estimated 51.89 million crime incidents were recorded across
Nigerian households. The report shows that the North West region recorded the
highest number of crime incidents, with 14.4 million cases.[3]
According
to the SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence report, kidnappers demanded over N10.9
billion from victims and their families between June 2023 and July 2024. It
states that there were about 1,130 reported kidnapping cases, and Zamfara,
Kaduna, and Katsina had the highest numbers of incidents as well as the highest
number of civilian deaths. Zamfara recorded 132 incidents with 1,639 victims;
Kaduna had 113 incidents with 1,113 victims; and Katsina reported 119 incidents
with 887 victims.[4]
Most studies pay attention to the causes and impact of banditry and
kidnapping.[5]
However, other factors such as forests that became ungoverned spaces,
proliferation of weapons, drugs, and failure to resolve farmers-herders’
conflicts that have facilitated it to linger over the years are usually
overlooked. This work examines the factors that aid kidnapping, banditry, and
overall insecurity in the northwestern Nigeria. The northwest states share a lot of things in
common, such as geography, religion and culture. Although they have other
ethnic communities, they largely comprise Hausa and Fulani people. Therefore,
the people, geography, and political system are almost similar with slight
variations. The cultural differences among them have almost waned due largely
to long periods of assimilation, migration, trade, and intermarriages. The
States in the region, therefore, were made distinct from one another as a
result of colonialism and post-colonial state creation policies. People,
therefore, move across these states through many roads and bush paths for
agriculture, hunting, and business transactions. This therefore is not
surprising as they come to have the common problem of insecurity which appeared
in the form of kidnapping and banditry.
MAP
1: Geopolitical Zones in Nigeria
The main economic activity in the northwest of
Nigeria is farming, which is done largely in the rainy season. The major crops
produced are millet, sorghum, and maize. There is also significant cultivation
of groundnut and cotton, and irrigation farming in different areas, which is
aided by the presence of floodplain areas, streams, underground water, and
dams.[6]
The rivers facilitated not only farming but also fishing. The availability of
pastures and ponds provides access for the rearing of animals. The Fulani
herdsmen utilized the availability of pastures in their grazing adventures.
This aids the availability of dairy products such as meat. There is also the
rise of industries, wholesale and retail shops, and various forms of
small-scale businesses.
This
work derived data largely from secondary sources. Data were obtained from
books, journals, newspapers and the Internet. Data were also derived from the
reports such as that of the SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence report that provides incidents of
kidnapping cases, and ransoms paid in various areas of Nigeria. Data obtained
was subjected to scrutiny, analysis, corroboration and interpretation.
The
Nature of Banditry in North Western Nigeria
Insecurity is now a major problem affecting
northwestern Nigeria. The phenomenon of current insecurity in the region
started as cattle rustling, whereby the main target of rustlers was rural
hamlets where cattle could be found. Consequently, cattle are no longer found
in many villages as some other cattle herders have moved to other areas.
Because of the pervasive nature of attacks and counterattacks, the insecurity
takes a dimension of rampant killing and stealing of any valuable the bandits
could find. Moreover, kidnapping for ransom has subsequently become rampant
with kidnappers operating in rural and urban areas, leading to loss of lives
and property, displacement of people, and fear. The Punch reports:
According to the Nigerian Bureau of
Statistics’ Crime Experience and Security Perception Report, 2024, Nigeria
recorded a total of 2.23 million kidnapping incidents during the year under
review, with 63.5 per cent of these incidents occurring in the North-West
geopolitical zone— ironically highlighting the significant role of bandits in
Nigeria’s kidnapping economy. The report indicates that 8.6 per cent of
households in the North-West reported experiencing kidnapping, compared to a
national prevalence rate of 3.2 per cent. During the reference period, N2.2tn
was paid as ransom, with 54.5 per cent of the payments made in the North-West
region. Additionally, the average national ransom per incident was N2.67m. The
report unequivocally places the North-West as the loci of Nigeria’s kidnapping
crisis.[7]
The main
targets of banditry have been wealthy individuals, political elites,
traditional institutions, government employees, and students. However, banditry
has transformed from one organized on specific targets to one whereby no one is
spared. Bandits operate almost every time and in every season. However, they
operate largely during the rainy season, trying to take advantage of growing
plants and the thickness of the bush. They mainly target the presence of
wealthy individuals, cattle, or schools. Among the students, they prefer to
take female children for two reasons; it instills much more fear in people, as
one of the aims of terrorists is to implant too much fear in people, and for
sexual exploitations. Another category of targets for bandits’ operations is
the security forces. Moreover, local vigilante constitutes another form of
threat to bandits. Security personnel are among the targets of bandits because
of their role in providing security services.
Why
the Continuation of Kidnapping and Banditry in Northwestern Nigeria?
Banditry and kidnapping have been going on in
the northwest of Nigeria for almost ten years, despite the government’s role in
the provision of security. The following constitute some of the reasons for the
persistence of this menace in the region:
International
Boundaries
International
borders are important in trade, diplomacy, migration, cultural ties and
security. Therefore, boarder is critical that has to be effectively
administered. Failure to manage boarders efficiently would lead to importation
and exportation of contrabands that are inimical to human development. Because
of the fact that some boarders are far away from the mainstream settlements,
they become the dens for the committing of sorts of criminal activities.
Table 1: States with International boundaries
in northwest Nigeria
|
SN. |
States |
International Boundary |
|
1 |
Jigawa |
It has a boundary with the Republic of
Niger. |
|
2 |
Katsina |
Katsina has a
boundary with the Republic of Niger. |
|
3 |
Kebbi |
Kebbi State has boundaries with the
Republics of Niger and Benin. |
|
4 |
Sokoto |
Sokoto has a boundary with the Republic
of Niger for 363 km. |
|
5 |
Zamfara |
Zamfara has a boundary with the Republic of Niger
to the
north for 32 km (20 miles). |
Source:https://businessday.ng/life/article/here-are-17-nigerian-states-that-share-borders-with-other-countries/
Table 1 shows that of the seven states in the
region, five have international boundaries. Katsina State shares a boundary
with the Niger Republic through the local governments of Jibia, Kaita, Mashi,
Mai Adua, Baure,and Zango. These Local Governments have a total landmass of
about 4187 sq.km, that is, 17.23% of the state's total landmass.[8] Along the border, there are several porous
areas which make the influx of people, including goods, very difficult to
check. These borders face the activities of smugglers of contrabands, including
drugs and weapons. As a result of this, some border communities of Jibia Local
Government have been affected by banditry and kidnapping. They include Gadara, Gakurdi, Mazanya, Kadobe, Gangara, Bugaje, ‘Yan Gayya, Kukar Banbangida, Kwarare and Shimfida.
Presence of Hideouts/Forests
Forest
and forest reserves are blessings in different parts of the world because of
the materials that are usually obtained. Forest provides human beings with
food, raw materials, mineral resources, and medicines. However, forests in
northern Nigeria have been posing security threats to the region. These forests
have turned into hideouts for thieves, robbers, bandits, and kidnappers, where
they have engaged in the attacks of far and nearby communities as well as
travelers. Some of these forests include
Balmo Forest, Falgore Forest, Idu and Gwagwa Forest Reserve, Kabakawa Forest
Reserve, Kagoro Forest, Kamuku Forest, Rumah/Kukar Jangarai Forest Reserve, and
Sambisa Forest/Forest Reserve. In 2007, as mentioned by Ladan, a gang of 14
robbers who engaged in cow theft along the Kano-Falgore road were paraded at
the Emir’s palace in Kano where they came to hand over themselves and repent.[9]
Also, in 2010, traders in Kano staged a protest against the withdrawal of the
army from the Falgore forest due to security concerns over the cases of armed
robbery along the road.[10]
In 2012, gunmen attempted to rob a filling station at Tudun Wada, Kano. They
were later arrested in the Falgore forest with the assistance of local hunters.[11]
Katsina
State is blessed with forests. Forest is significance to the state and society
in the provision of medicine, raw materials, and hunting games, and as
protection to the environment and human settlements.[12]However,
they have now become the hideouts for bandits. These include the Rugu forest
that traverses the local governments of Safana, Batsari, and Danmusa; the
Dumburun that passes through Batsari and Jibia; and the Kwalangwangi forest
that passes through Dandume, Faskari, Sabuwa to Birningwari in Kaduna. There is also the Kabakawa forest around
Katsina and the Ruma-Kukar Jangarai forest in the Batsari and Safana Local
Government Areas. In the neighboring Kaduna state is the Kamuku forest. These
forests have the economic potential of minerals.[13]
However, they are now security threats as they have been turned into hideouts
of thieves, robbers, bandits, and kidnappers who have engaged in the attacks of
far and nearby communities as well as travelers.
Presence
of Farmers /Herders and Climate Change
Farming is the predominant economic activity in
northwest Nigeria. The region has farmers and herders dispersed in rural areas
with symbiotic relationships over the years. The climate change has affected
the availability of grazing land. On the other hand, farmers too are affected
by the encroachment of herdsmen, unlike in the past when the relationship was
more of mutual benefits. Desertification and its associated challenges further
inhibit the opportunity for pasture, thereby making grazing of animals difficult.[14] Erosion has reduced soil fertility, increased
loss of agricultural products, reduced grazing land, affected livestock
productivity, and increased pests. This condition makes farmers and herders
more competitive on land for cultivation, grazing as well as source for water
supply.
Socio-Economic
Infrastructures
Inadequate
socio-economic infrastructures are among the factors that generate crises among
people. In some rural areas, basic amenities are absent, such as good schools,
clinics, electricity, and pipe-borne water. Rural poverty has also been on the
increase with cases of unemployment among the youth and inadequate food. Some
of the rural dwellers thus have the feeling of being marginalized by the
government. According to the NBS,
Overall, 65% of
poor people—86 million people—live in the North, while 35%—nearly 47
million—live in the South. In general, a disparity between North and South is
evident in both the incidence and intensity of multidimensional poverty, with
the North being poorer. However, the level and number of poor people needs to
be addressed in all zones—each of which homes to between 11 and 20 million poor
people except North West, which has 45 million poor people due to its larger
population and higher level of poverty.[15]
2022
Population Project in Northwest States
|
SN |
States |
Population Project |
|
1 |
Kano |
Approximately
15.4 million people |
|
2 |
Kaduna |
Approximately
9.3 million people. |
|
3 |
Katsina |
Approximately
10.3 million people |
|
4 |
Kebbi |
Approximately
5.5 million people |
|
5 |
Jigawa |
Approximately
7.4 million people |
|
6 |
Sokoto |
Approximately
6.3million people |
|
7 |
Zamfara |
Approximately
5.8 million people |
Source:https://www.citypopulation.de/en/nigeria/cities/
The northwest has states with higher
populations in Nigeria, such as Kano and Katsina. The Table 2 above shows the
2022 population projection in states of the northwestern Nigeria.[16] With the population figures shown below, youths
in Katsina were said to have occupied about 70% of the state’s total
population. The number of youths in the northwest presents potential for the
development of the state. Statistics have shown that the rate
of poverty is increasing at an alarming rate, as many people live below $ 1 per
day. Moreover, there are quite a few youths who either dropped out of school or
did not attend at all. This is the reason why illiteracy and poverty, in
addition to different forms of diseases, have become pervasive among the youths
today. With a huge percentage of youth in shambles, the future seems rather
bleak. Therefore,
there is a strong need for government at all levels to expand expenditure on
youths’ education, health, employment, and social services such as sports and
others. However, the government needs to consider the existing rural-urban
dichotomy which has been contributing to high-scale emigration from rural
areas. Therefore, policies for youth empowerment shall take into cognizance the
peculiarities of youths in rural and urban areas. Some of the challenges
mentioned above have contributed to the deplorable conditions the youths found
themselves in.
Inadequate
Security Personnel
There is a
perception that throughout the country, security is inadequate to manage the
affairs of the growing population and that security personnel are
overstretched. With a population of over 200 million people, about 400,000
Nigeria Police force are inadequate.[17] The Nigeria Inspector General of
Police states, “Nigeria is still far away from the United Nations’ recommended policing
ratio of one police to 400 citizens. Nigeria has about a 1:1,000 policing
ratio.[18]
Although various state governments have been making initiatives to
establish some local forms of policing, the challenge of inadequate security
personnel has continued to affect effective provision of security in Nigeria.
Banditry
& Nature of Operation
Bandits are the
major actors in causing insecurity in the northwest Nigeria. They live largely
in the forest and operate with the influence of the following equipment:
Motorcycles:
they operate largely on motorcycles because of its ability to move in bush
paths. About 2-3 bandits would mount a single motorcycle, and it is also used
to convey their kidnapped victims.
Guns and
ammunition: AK 47 rifle is a common type of weapon used in operations by
bandits.
Drugs: The
operations of bandits usually take place with the influence of drugs. The
common drugs they use include Indian hemp, Exol-5, and Tramadol,
among others.[19]
The drugs are obtained mostly from drug peddlers found in rural and urban
areas. Okoli and Aina have also established a link between drugs and banditry
that “Drugs are some of the critical drivers and catalysts of the banditry
crisis in Nigeria.[20]
Local charms:
Most of the bandits believe in the use of local charms for protection and as
means to accomplish their mission.
Phone and
telecommunication services: these are the major means through which bandits
have the audience of the relatives of their captives. More so, it is the means
through which informants communicate with bandits. Most negotiations take place
through phone calls.
Knowledge of
bush paths/cattle routes: Cattle routes and bush paths are found across the
states linking villages, markets, forests, and grazing lands. Only in a few
cases do bandits follow the major roads. They mostly follow footpaths and
cattle routes in their movements. Intelligence/informants (male and female):
The bandits have the services of informants. These informants involve both
males and females. They spy for bandits and inform them of who to kidnap and
the extent of his/her wealth, and when to operate.
Logistics/
supply of foodstuff, fuel, and other services: Some people connive with bandits
and supply foodstuff, fuel, medicine and other services to them. These factors
combine to facilitate banditry and kidnapping in the northwest.
Conclusion
This paper
examined banditry, a major security challenge in northwestern Nigeria. The paper has revealed that kidnapping and
banditry have been so pervasive. Kidnapping and banditry led to the loss of
lives, property, and the displacement of people from their various homes. It
has also led to hunger because many farmers were made to flee and live as
internally displaced persons in camps. However, banditry has persisted for over
a decade. Some factors responsible for this have been raised and addressed in the
paper, which include ineffective management of forest reserves, poor management
of international borders, spread of weapons and drugs, inadequate security
personnel, bandits’ access to logistics such as weapons, motorcycles, and cell
phones, among others. These issues need to be effectively addressed. The
absence of a common approach among the northwest states has contributed to the
persistence of insecurity in the region. For example, Katsina has boundaries
with Kaduna and Zamfara. In these two states, kidnapping and banditry have been
ongoing for several years, and there was little or no collaborative efforts
from these states to address the situation.[21]
References
Hobbes,
T. (1651). Leviathan, London, Andrew Crooke and Green Dragon.
Katsina,
A.M. and Abdulkadir, J., (2023). “Nature and Dynamics of Cattle Rustling As a
Driver of Rural Banditry and Insecurity in Katsina State,” in Journal of Conflict Resolution and Social
Issues, Publication of the Centre for Democracy, Peace and Conflict
Resolution, Federal University, Katsina State, vol. 3 no.1.
Ladan,
S.I., (2014). “Forests and Forest Reserves as Security Threats in Northern
Nigeria.” European Scientific Journal,
December, vol.10, No.35 ISSN: 1857 – 7881 (Print) e - ISSN 1857- 7431 120
Locke,
J. (1980). Second Treatise of Government,
edited by C.B. Macpherson, Cambridge, Hackett Pub. Comp.,
Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty
Index (2022).
Okoli,
C. & Aina F. (2024). “Pills, substances and brigandage: Exploring the drug
factor in Nigeria’s banditry crisis.” African
Security Review.
Rodney,
W. (2004). , How Europe Underdeveloped
Africa, Abuja, Panaf.
Rousseau,
J.J. (2010). Discourse on the origin and Foundation of Inequality among Mankind,
New York, St. Martins Press.
Rufaí,
M.A. and Bawa, J.H. (2024.), “An Insight into the Factors, Actors and Contours
of Armed Banditry in Katsina State,” in M.D. Suleiman, S. Suleiman, I.S.
Kankara and W. Iliiyasu (eds.), Katsina
in Transition: Exploring the History of Royalty, Culture, Trade and Security,
Katsina, Department of History and Security Studies.
Usman,
Y.B., (1981) The Transformation of
Katsina 1400-1883 AD, Zaria, Ahmadu Bello University Press.
https://www.thecable.ng/report-kidnappers-got-only-n1bn-out-of-n10bn-ransom-from-nigerian-victims-in-one-year/
https://www.thecable.ng/report-kidnappers-got-only-n1bn-out-of-n10bn-ransom-from-nigerian-victims-in-one-year/
https://punchng.com/a-fresh-look-at-nbs-data-on-kidnapping-in-nigeria/
https://kipa.kt.gov.ng/brief-history-of-katsina-state/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nigerian_states_by_population
Okoro,
A.O.D., (September, 2019). “Kidnapping
in North West Nigeria: A Critical Discourse,” Arts and Social Science Research, Vol. 9.
Ibrahim, Y. K. & Ahmad, A.A. (May
2020) “Causes of Kidnapping in Nigeria
and Proposed Solutions,” Journal of Social Science
Research 6(5):512-517.
https://kipa.kt.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Katsina-Mineral-Resources-Inner-complete.pdf
[1]. See these
books: T. Hobbes, Leviathan, London,
Andrew Crooke and Green Dragon, 1651. J.
Locke, Second Treatise of Government,
edited by C.B. Macpherson, Cambridge, Hackett Pub. Comp., 1980. J.J. Rousseau, Discourse on the origin and Foundation of
Inequality among Mankind, New York, St. Martins Press, 2010.
[2]. Walter
Rodney, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa,
Abuja, Panaf, 2004
[3].
https://www.thecable.ng/report-kidnappers-got-only-n1bn-out-of-n10bn-ransom-from-nigerian-victims-in-one-year/
[4].
https://www.thecable.ng/report-kidnappers-got-only-n1bn-out-of-n10bn-ransom-from-nigerian-victims-in-one-year/
[5].
For example, See Arnold Onyekachi David Okoro, “KIDNAPPING IN NORTH WEST
NIGERIA: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE,” Arts and
Social Science Research, Vol. 9 (September, 2019). Also Y. K. Ibrahim & A.A. Ahmad,
“Causes of Kidnapping in Nigeria and Proposed Solutions,”JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH 6(5):512-517, May 2020.
[6]. For the
economy of Katsina kingdom since the precolonial period, see Y.B. Usman, The Transformation of Katsina 1400-1883 AD,
Zaria, Ahmadu Bello University Press, 1981
[7].
https://punchng.com/a-fresh-look-at-nbs-data-on-kidnapping-in-nigeria/
[8].
https://kipa.kt.gov.ng/brief-history-of-katsina-state/
[9].
Suleiman Iguda Ladan, “Forests and Forest Reserves as Security Threats in
Northern Nigeria.” European Scientific Journal December 2014 edition vol.10,
No.35 ISSN: 1857 – 7881 (Print) e - ISSN 1857- 7431 120
[10] Suleiman Iguda
Ladan, “Forests and Forest Reserves as Security Threats in Northern Nigeria.”
.
[11].
Suleiman Iguda Ladan, “Forests and Forest Reserves as Security Threats in
Northern Nigeria.” .
[12].
[13].
https://kipa.kt.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Katsina-Mineral-Resources-Inner-complete.pdf
[14]. A.M. Katsina
and J. Abdulkadir, “Nature and Dynamics of Cattle Rustling As a Driver of Rural
Banditry and Insecurity in Katsina State,” in Journal of Conflict Resolution and Social Issues, Publication of
the Centre for Democracy, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Federal University,
Katsina State, vol. 3 no.1., 2023.
[15].
See Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index (2022), p. 25.
[16].
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nigerian_states_by_population
[17]. Fieldwork
with Police in Katsina, 2023
[18]. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/645336-tinubus-predecessors-battered-neglected-nigeria-police-igp.html?tztc=1
[19]. Fieldwork
with NDLEA officer in Katsina, 2023.
[20]. Chukwuma Okoli & Folahanmi Aina, “Pills, substances and brigandage: Exploring the drug factor in Nigeria’s banditry crisis.” African Security Review, 2024.
[21]. M.A. Rufaí, “An Insight into the Factors, Actors and Contours of Armed Banditry in Katsina State,” in M.D. Suleiman, S. Suleiman, I.S. Kankara and W. Iliiyasu (eds.), Katsina in Transition: Exploring the History of Royalty, Culture, Trade and Security, Katsina, Department of History and Security Studies, 2024.
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