RADIO PROGRAMME ON BANDITRY AND ITS SOCIO-ECONOMIC

CONSEQUENCE IN NIGERIA

HOST: Banditry is on the increase in northern Nigeria. This is a region with many
security problems, chief among them Boko Haram’s insurgency. In the north-central
region, herdsmen militancy has become a key security concern. Northwest Nigeria, which
used to be the bastion of security and stability, has been hit hard by rural banditry. Today,
our focus will be on the banditry and security challenges in northern Nigeria

I still remain your favourite host, Enewa Aluma on the most popular Radio programme
Securities Matters on your number one Radio station MACOSA Radio

Here with me in the studio are

The commissioner of police in person of ………………………………………..

And other distinguish guests to discuss the most crucial moment bordering our nation at
the moment.

HOST: Our Able Commissioner, please intimate us on the security challenges currently
facing the Northern Nigeria.

Response

Banditry and other causes of insecurity in northern Nigeria have been allowed to
degenerate into a complex national emergency with dire territorial implications. This
mirrors exactly what happened with the Boko Haram insurgency. From sporadic
incidents, Boko Haram began launching systematic attacks targeted at individuals,
communities and, eventually, the state.

Essentially, the prevailing socio-existential conditions in northwestern Nigeria have

complicated the security situation. The rural pastoral sector is not well regulated. Illicit
artisanal mining and the proliferation of arms in the region are also veritable factors.
Geography plays a role, too. Northwestern Nigeria’s forestlands are vast, rugged and
hazardous. They are also grossly under-policed. Some of the forests run alongside the
diverse porous borderlines on the region’s frontiers. Borders are poorly delineated,
under-policed and thus not well governed. The consequence of this is an abundance of
nefarious activity, often facilitated by criminal syndicates.

Rural banditry in northwestern Nigeria also derives impetus from the poorly governed
mining and small arms sector. Bandits have been drawn to the region by illicit and
artisanal mining in states like Zamfara where bandits have been raiding mining sites
for gold and cash.

The federal government has recognised the apparent linkage between rural banditry
and illicit mining. It suspended all forms of mining in Zamfara State in early April of
2019.

Transhumance – the movement of cattle – is poorly regulated. This has seen it being
infiltrated by criminals, which has led to the intensification of cattle rustling in the
region. In states such as Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Kebbi, there exists a clan of
livestock bandits who specialise in mass cattle raids.

While some of these cattle rustling gangs are affiliated to local and transnational
syndicates, a number of them are mercenaries of Boko Haram. Cattle rustling
constitutes a valuable source of funding for the terror group.

Host: What is the major causes of Banditry and Insecurity in the Northern Nigeria

Response

Nigeria is not spending enough on its security; whether it is for the military, whether it is
for the police or even for the intelligence services. This lack of spending enough
commensurate with the security challenges is evident in the lack of capacity for our
security agencies.
In terms of numbers, they are not enough, in terms of equipment, there are not enough
and in terms of training, we are lacking. So when you say a state of emergency, it means
the government should devote more resources and put them in the military. Put the
money to get more troops.

If you look at the extent of land, the bandits in particular, let's not even talk about Boko
Haram, they do not go anywhere, they hide in the bushes around us because they have
come to the conclusion that the government does not have enough security personnel to
enter into those bushes.

HOST: What are the major drivers of banditry in Nigeria

Response

 Proliferation of Armed Non State Actors

 Ungoverned Spaces in the North West
 Unregulated Mining Activities in the North West Region
 Arms Proliferation in Exchange for Gold in the North West
 Porous Border and Uncontrolled Migration
 Demographic Pressures and Climatic Change
 Unemployment

HOST: What will be your recommendations to tackling the banditry and security
challenges bequeathing the country

Response
 Nigerian government should strategise to create meaningful employment for the
youths trapped in the phenomenon through the creation of programmes which aim
at addressing the endemic poverty in the northwest in particular and the country in
general.
  Nigeria government should sustain the military efforts in prosecuting the war
against banditry as well as equip the security forces with both types of modern
equipment and necessary incentives to enable them carry out their duty without
hindrances.
 There should be re-orientation to inculcate ethical values and reverence for life
and human right in the people and also the need to co-exist irrespective of
religious or ethnic inclinations.
 Government at all levels should put in place functional security system like
community policing to supplement the operations of other security agencies as
well as the need for proper orientation of the Nigerian security personnel on the
need to maintain peace and order in collaboration with the local vigilante. The
local vigilante understands the terrain of their communities/environment better
than the newly posted police officers from other states.
 Government should intensify efforts to mobilise financial and human resources to
fund disarmament, and de-radicalisation programmes to curtail the problems of
arms proliferation across the region.
 There should be adequate supply and installation of modern technology as well as
increased surveillance while border security personnel are urgently required to
check trans-border crimes, which are part of the igniting factors accentuating
banditry in Nigeria.

HOST: What are the consequences and the implication of the insecurity to Nigeria
Economy

1)    Disruption of Economic Activities: With pervasive insecurity comes internal

displacement of people and the crippling of economic activities in the worst-affected
areas. We have witnessed the virtual death of economic activities in the north-eastern
states of Nigeria over the last decade due to the violent Boko Haram insurgency. We have
also seen how agricultural produce in Benue and a number of other north-central states of
Nigeria have been badly affected by the herdsmen-farmer’s clashes. Insecurity in these
states has also created internal refugees within the country. As a result, people in the
refugee camps are not able to contribute to economic activities.

2)    Decimation of Consumer Confidence: Protracted insecurity, as it has been the case

in recent years in Nigeria, can depress consumer confidence, which in turn reduces
consumer spending. Not only does insecurity affect individual spending; it also affects
businesses who, due to the uncertainty insecurity creates, put off investment decisions.
This certainly affects economic output and could be a major factor in the slow-growth
environment in Nigeria.

3)    Decrease in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): The amplification of news coverage

on insecurity in a nation can make things look worse to outsiders than they really are.
This can reduce the confidence of foreign investors in such a nation that has massive
security challenges. Investor confidence can worsen, particularly where there is weak and
ineffective government response to the security challenges.

4) Disproportionate Defence Spending Vis-à-vis Other Economic Sectors: In responding

to the increasing insecurity in Nigeria, the government has been allocating hundreds of
billions of naira to defence and security-related expenditure. These are large sums of
money that should have been going elsewhere in the economy, especially in the education
and health sectors.

The domestic economic impact of this exorbitant defence expenditure is further devalued
as long as it is mostly foreign procurement-based. This is not helpful to the growth of the
economy.

5) The Struggle for Personal Survival Undermines Innovation: Nigerians are creative

people. Nigerians in diaspora are among the leaders in innovation and change in many
sectors. But back home, survival has become the overriding consideration for many
people. Heightened insecurity has made a lot of people become more risk-averse in terms
of the places they go to and the people they interact with. Travelling from one city to
another in Nigeria has become a game of chance and death-dodging for many people.
Under such atmosphere; creativity is diminished and innovation takes a back seat.
Whereas, innovation is a vital engine needed to drive change and growth in Nigeria and
Africa as a whole. Security is what can give citizens the space to reflect and be creative
and innovative.

6) Increase in Brain Drain: Nigeria is losing its best brains on a daily basis through
mass emigration to Western countries. Canada seems to be the country of preference for
most Nigerians at the moment, due to its open-door policy for qualified migrants.
A recent poll conducted by NOI Polls, found that: “Almost 9 in 10 respondents (88%)
disclosed they are seeking work opportunities abroad.” It also found that: “83% of
doctors who filled the survey and are based abroad are licensed in Nigeria, indicating that
they had completed their medical education in Nigeria before departing beyond the
shores of Nigeria.”

7) Perverse Incentives: There are lots of people in high places that financially benefit
from the insecurity. For such people, it becomes their goal to maintain the status quo
rather than encourage an improvement. There is now a massive industry around
insecurity in Nigeria and it is not in the interest of those benefiting from it to support
efforts to provide more security.

As exemplification, hostage negotiation is a new and booming career for some Nigerians.
When a member of a family is kidnapped, the security agencies put the family in contact
with hostage negotiators who are paid not only to negotiate downward the massive
ransom demanded by the hostage takers, but also help deliver the ransom.

8) Decline in Productivity: Continued insecurity and government’s inability to bring an

end to it can lead to a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness, especially in the areas
that are vulnerable and amongst victims and their families. This state of agitation can
affect productivity. For instance, with rampant kidnappings on major highways in some
part of the country, many roads have become no-go areas. Inability to travel freely on its
own can reduce productivity of those affected.
9) Possible National Isolation: Tourists do not visit unsafe places. Insecurity in Nigeria
has led to many countries advising their citizens not to travel to many parts of Nigeria.
The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), for instance, advises British
nationals against travelling to sixteen states of Nigeria. Extreme caution is also advised
when travelling in the rest of the country. With such dire warning, fewer foreigners will
make Nigeria a destination of choice.

10) Deepening Corruption at All Levels: The chaos and uncertainties created by

insecurity can provide the breeding ground for corruption. On the one hand, insecurity
can provide an environment for some government officials to corruptly enrich themselves
as stated earlier; on the other hand, fighting insecurity can spread the government too
thin, limiting its ability to fight corruption effectively.    

HOST: Whaooo, for me, it has been an educating moments, I want to specially thank all
my guests for enlightening us with their wealth of knowledge. I crave your indulgence to
create time and be with us again.

To all my viewer, I want to say a special thank you for always being there. I am here
because you are there. God bless you all.

See you again, same station, same time next week.

Bye for now.