Analysis of the Nature and Patterns of Banditry in Northwest Nigeria

Abstract

Banditry has become a major security issue in Nigeria. In the northwestern region the nucleus of the phenomenon of banditry in the country, devastating attacks by bandits on rural communities has taken many forms; such that a specific and concise categorization of the phenomenon has been rather elusive. This paper examines the nature and patterns of banditry in Nigeria with a view to gaining a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. The paper begins by examining the conceptual and historical contexts of the phenomenon. It then goes on to demonstrate how given the socio-economic and political character of banditry, the state is complicit in the construction and interpretation of the phenomenon. Finally, the paper argues that, to effectively address the phenomenon of banditry, a deliberate process of “social reengineering” which address the socio-economic and political factors that have spawned the phenomenon is crucial.