NATURE AND MAGNITUDE OF ARMED BANDITRY IN ZAMFARA STATE: IMPLICATIONS FOR FOOD SECURITY

Abstract

This paper investigated the evolving nature and escalating magnitude of armed banditry in Zamfara State, Nigeria. The study argues that excessive kinetic interventions have failed to address the underlying political economy of the conflict. It adopted the Greed and Grievance Theory, developed by Paul Collier and Anke Hoeffler between 2000 and 2002, as its theoretical framework, while a mixed research design was employed as the methodology. A total of 400 questionnaires were administered to respondents, while Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), In-Depth Interviews (IDIs), and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were used for data collection. Qualitative data were content-analysed, while quantitative data were presented in charts and percentages. The analysis revealed that armed banditry manifested in the forms of cattle rustling (93.4%), night attacks (90.0%), land confiscation (85.5%), and the burning of farmlands (84.1%). It further revealed that incidents of armed banditry increased from 128 cases in 2018 to 1,031 cases in 2024, indicating an escalating magnitude. Additionally, about 71.7 per cent of respondents linked increasing food insecurity to the loss of farm produce, while 89.5 per cent agreed that hunger had become more widespread within their households. In view of these findings, the nature and magnitude of armed banditry reveal a significant escalation and sophistication in banditry operations since 2012 in Zamfara State, Nigeria. The study recommends that the Zamfara State Government should institute stiffer penalties for cattle rustling and kidnapping while implementing developmental programmes aimed at improving the living standards of the people. It further recommends that the Federal Government of Nigeria should strengthen relations with neighbouring countries such as Chad, Niger, and Benin to facilitate joint efforts against armed banditry for enhanced regional security, as well as procure advanced technological surveillance equipment, including drones, to improve border surveillance and management.