BANDITRY: A Dangerous Journey To State Of Nature
By: Nurudeen Dauda
To start with, it is apt to state that the news of resorting to “self- defence” and or “self-help” by the people of “Matusgi village” in Zamfara State which led to the killings of 37 bandits and 3 villagers is a dangerous trip back to the “State of Nature” as explained by Thomas leviathan Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau.
This is sadly a clear indication of the fact that the people have been pushed to the wall. The truth of the matter is that a lot of people are increasingly losing “confidence” and or “hope” on the “ability”, and or “willingness” of the government to protect their lives and property. Where is the Social Contract?
The government must be reminded that its primary responsibility is the protection of lives and property of its citizens. The government must be alive to its responsibility in order to avoid its citizens resorting to “self- defence” and or “self-help”. All hands must be on deck towards finding a lasting solution.
In my observation, “security” is the “last man” standing in our “Social Contract” with the government which we must not bridge. The reality in our dear country now is that the citizens are the ones who provide their “electricity” in form of either “solars” or “generators”. Drill their personal “boreholes” or “wells” to provide drinking water since the pipe borne water is no longer coming.
We spent a greater part of our earnings on our children school fees since the public schools berely functions. We spent a greater portion of our earnings on medical care due to ineffective health insurance system. We paid for expensive private transportation system since our public transportation system barely works. We paid for expensive “rent” with our noses since our mortgage system is ineffective.
In my thought, farmers-herders clashes which have not been properly managed led to Armed banditry in the country. One of the major reasons that caused it is the “struggle” for land resources. The farmer needs it for crops cultivation while the herder needs it for posture. From independence to date both human and cattle populations have increased, but the size of our “land” has even reduced due to desertification and or climate change.
Other reasons often adduced for the aggravation of the clashes are deliberate destruction of farms by herders, encroachment of cattle routes, abandonment of grazing reserves, Jungle justice against herders, maiming and killings of cattle. In the event of crops destruction by herders, there were allegations of extortion by local judges, village heads, and policemen against herders. That allegedly made herders became very violent against farming communities.
This is not unaware of the allegations of “infiltration “of all “sorts of criminals “to Armed Banditry due to high rate of unemployment, illiteracy, poverty, proliferation of small and light weapons, drug abuse and porous borders.
However, the use of Military “might” is only part of the solution, but certainly not all of it. We must approach the crisis from firstly, the political front. On this front, cattle rearing which is part of agricultural activities must be supported as a business not as an ethnic thing. The right attention must be given to cattle business. There must be genuine effort at its modernization.
Secondly, the legal front, there must be justice in handling famers-herders clashes. We must work hard towards addressing the allegations of corruption among our judges and extortion by the police against herders.
Thirdly, the Socio-economic front. The issues of illiteracy, poverty, drug abuse and unemployment have contributed immensely to criminal activities in our society. The must be the political will in fighting in security in the country. For us to get it right, the government should and or must pursue deliberate policies towards combating same.
Fourthly, we must properly secure our “forests” which are generally unsecured. Our vast unmanned forests in the country serve as hideouts for criminals. Something serious must be done on its. Our porous borders must be properly secured. Let’s deploy technology in securing our borders. The NDLEA must be strengthened to do more on the fight against drugs importation which is the energizer to all sorts of crimes.
Fifthly, Small and light weapons are too many in our midst which must be mopped up. We must frustrate its supply to non -state actors. We must properly “kits “our security agencies. We must fight corruption within the security agencies. Their welfare must be taken very seriously. We must invest more in Intelligence gathering/sharing. It is high time we deploy a technology driven approach to security challenges.
Our major fault is that we are into conflict “settlement “as against “resolution”. Unless the right things are done, the use of military might will only bring temporary peace.
May God bless Nigeria!
Nurudeen a Columnist, he writes from Kaduna
