Persisting banditry: A national emergency requiring urgent action
As President Bola Tinubu is set to mark one year in office, the nation is gripped by a sense of déjà vu. The scourge of banditry, which had seemingly subsided, has returned with a vengeance, leaving a trail of death, destruction, and despair in its wake.
The North-West and North-Central regions, already battered by years of violence, are once again bearing the brunt of these relentless attacks.
The citizens, who had hoped for a reprieve, are now forced to confront the harsh reality of a presidency that seems to be struggling to contain the menace.
Recent reports from Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Benue, and Plateau states detail alarming attacks by bandits. In a particularly harrowing incident in Ambe, Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna, six individuals were killed and eight injured during a birthday party invasion.
These events echo sadly familiar tragedies in the region. In mid-February, bandits slaughtered 12 individuals and injured nine in Makyali village, Kajuru LGA, followed by another assault in Kwassam and Sabon Layin, Kauru LGA, where they killed six people, including a retired director of the Central Bank of Nigeria and his brother, while abducting 50 others.
The trend continued with the abduction of 137 pupils from a school in Chikun LGA, Kaduna State, and 16 pupils from an Islamiyah school in Sokoto State. In March, 66 people were killed in an attack on Madaka, Rafi LGA of Niger State.
In late April, bandits struck in Katsina, killing 24 individuals across four communities in Sabuwa LGA in a swift operation lasting one hour. In February, eight villagers were killed, and 38 others abducted in Faskari LGA.
The reign of terror by bandits continues unabated, with Zamfara, Benue, and Plateau states being the latest targets of their brutal attacks. In Zamfara, bandits have invaded mosques, killing clerics and innocent civilians, and abducted 30 people during Ramadan.
In Benue, three farmers were slaughtered in Ogbaulu, Agatu LGA, while Plateau witnessed a bloody attack on a market in Wase LGA, resulting in seven deaths. The most horrific incident occurred in Bokkos LGA during Christmas 2023, where 200 people were massacred.
The statistics are staggering – 2,308 Nigerians were killed in President Tinubu’s first three months in office, and this number skyrocketed to 5,135 in his first seven months.
This is a war-like situation that demands decisive action. While the military has responded by bombing bandit hideouts, this tactic only scratches the surface, as the bandits regroup and inflict more harm on citizens.
President Tinubu, as the Commander-in-Chief, must take charge and develop a comprehensive strategy to defeat banditry. So far, his response has been limited to convening meetings with security chiefs and ordering them to pursue the criminals.
This is insufficient, and the President must demonstrate leadership and a clear plan to address this crisis. The nation is waiting for concrete action, not just rhetoric.
The military’s response of bombing bandit hideouts has been effective in dealing with a small number of them, but they often regroup and continue to inflict harm on citizens.
Despite convening meetings with security chiefs and issuing orders, there’s a lack of a concrete strategy from President Tinubu to decisively defeat banditry.
As the Commander-in-Chief, he must take decisive action. A former Zamfara governor highlighted the sheer number of bandits in the North-West, indicating that bombing alone won’t suffice.
A comprehensive strategy is imperative. With only 371,000 police officers, two-thirds of whom are deployed for VIP protection, there’s a shortage of boots on the ground.
Tinubu must address this by reallocating officers from elite protection duties to fieldwork.
The ghost of banditry continues to haunt Nigeria, and President Tinubu is treading a familiar path that led his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, down a blind alley.
During Buhari’s eight-year tenure, a staggering 63,111 Nigerians fell victim to violence, and Tinubu’s approach so far suggests a similar fate awaits his presidency.
It’s time to shatter the status quo and inject fresh ideas into the security apparatus. Governors must champion the cause of state police with unwavering determination, a model that has proven effective in other federal systems.
Nigeria’s First Republic successfully operated regional police forces, and it’s high time we revisit this structure.
The clock is ticking, and the nation can no longer afford to be mired in rhetoric.
Action is imperative, and this editorial delves into the gravity of the situation, the urgent need for decisive response, and the imperative for a comprehensive strategy to restore peace and security to the troubled regions.
The time for change is now, and Nigeria must rise to the challenge.
As the body count rises and the nation teeters on the edge of chaos, President Tinubu must act swiftly to unveil a comprehensive strategy to tame the monster of banditry before his presidency unravels completely.
