BANDITRY AND THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES IN ZAMFARA STATE, NIGERIA

Authors

  • Bashir Bello Department of Sociology Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria Author
  • Yusuf Bala Ribah Department of Sociology Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria Author
  • Obi Johnson Ifeanyi Department of Sociology Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60787/aasd.vol4no1.96

Keywords:

Banditry, Nigeria, Poverty, Security, Unemployment, Zamfara State

Abstract

This paper examines the emergence and development of banditry in Zamfara State, Nigeria, highlighting its causes, consequences, and potential solutions. The study reveals that banditry in the state is sparked by factors such as poverty, unemployment, proliferation of firearms, and perceived injustices. The activities of bandits have had devastating effects on the socio-economic and security landscape of the state, resulting in loss of lives, displacement of people, and destruction of properties. The paper is a conceptual analysis paper and it broke down complex concepts into their constituent parts thereby examining their meanings, relationships and implications.The paper established that the increase in the act of banditry are the availability of transportation such as motorcycles mostly donated by the politicians and which are used by the criminals for banditry; the perceived Injustices by some people; the illicit mining; increase poverty and unemployment; proliferation of fire arms and climate change. The paper also found that the implications of the act of banditry range from the economic, social, livelihood, agriculture and security. The paper recommends a multi-faceted approach to addressing the problem, including poverty alleviation, youth empowerment, and improved security measures. It also calls for politicians to desist from sponsoring bandits and for the government to exercise justice in the execution of legal systems.

         Views | Downloads: 0 / 0

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abang, P. O. (2021). Insecurity and Negligence of Rural Development: The Bane of Food Security and Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria. International Journal of Public Administration and Management Research, 7(1), 30-37.

Abdullahi, A. (2019). Rural Banditry, Regional Security and Integration in West Africa. Journal of Social and Political Sciences, 2(3).

Abdulrasheed, A. (2021). Armed Banditry and Human Security in North Western Nigeria: The Impacts and the Way Forward. Available at SSRN 3881652.

Abubakar, M. (2021). The Causes ond Consequences of Armed Banditry, Kidnapping and Cattle Rustling in some selected Communities in Zamfara State. Bakolori Journal of General Studies, 12(2), 3604-3629.

Adewoyin, S. A., & David, E. I. (2019). Small and light weapons proliferation, violent crimes, and national security. European Journal of Political Science Studies.

Afolabi, O. (2016). Migration and citizenship question in Nigeria: A study of the Berom and Hausa/Fulani conflict in Jos. African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 10(2), 8-15.

Anka S.A (2017) Emerging issues in Zamfara armed banditry and cattle rustling: collapse of the Peace Deal and Resurgence of Fresh Violence. International Journal of Innovation research and development 6(12) pp 161.

Asadu, N., Ogbuke, U. M., Ngwu, L., &Onyia, M. (2021). Dangers of Herders and Farmers Conflict to National Development in Nigeria. ESUT JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, 6(3).

Avrich, P. (2021). Sacco and Vanzetti. In Sacco and Vanzetti. Princeton University Press.

Banko, O. H. (2016). Global Trends in Arms Proliferation in Third World Countries and the Impending Apocalypse of the human race: A Case Study of Arms Race and Security Challenges in Nigeria. International Journal of Innovative Research and Development, 5(9), 192-205.

Barnett, J., Rufa’i, M. A., &Abdulaziz, (2018) A. Northwestern Nigeria: A Jihadization of Banditry, or a “Banditization” of Jihad?

Bello, B., & Abdullahi, M. M. (2021). Farmers–Herdsmen Conflict, Cattle Rustling, and Banditry: The Dialectics of Insecurity in Anka and Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Nigeria. SAGE Open, 11(4), 21582440211040117.

Cribb, R. (2008). Gangsters and Revolutionaries: The Jakarta People's Militia and the Indonesian Revolution, 1945-1949. Equinox Publishing.

Daily Trust (2018) www.dailytrust.com.nglarned banditry retrieved August 04, 2021.

Ebonine, V. C. (2022). “Darkening the Dark”: Assessing the Impact of Banditry on Educational and Socio-Economic Development in Northern Nigeria. Journal of Black Studies, 00219347221086312.

Effiong U., Udousung I., and Udoh E. (2018). Herdsmen/Farmers Crisis and Rehabilitation of Victims: A Study of Middlebelt-Nigeria. Uyo Journal of Sustainable Development, 3(2), pp: 163-169.

Effiong U., Udoyen G., and Udoh, E. (2021). Ecological Determinism and Prospects of Ecotourism Development in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. AKSU Journal of Social Sciences, 1(1), pp: 275-286.

Effiong, U. U., (2024). Social Security in Nigeria. In Destiny Eze Agwanwo (Eds.). Social Work and Social Legislations in Nigeria. Pp: 35-52. Prime Publishers and Educational Services: Ibadan.

Ejiofor, P. F. (2022). The Mobility of Terror: Motorcycle Bandits, Violence and Anarchy in Nigeria. The RUSI Journal, 1-12.

Emeh, I. E., Isah, A., Olise, C. N., &Ikeanyibe, M. O. (2021). Countering insurgency in Nigeria with Terrorist Resource Model; a focus on Boko Haram sect. African Journal of Terrorism and Insurgency Research, 2(2), 77-98.

Goldman, D. P. (2020). You Will Be Assimilated: China’s Plan to Sino-form the World. Bombardier Books.

Hassan, I. M., Shehu, A., Zezi, A. U., Magaji, M. G., &Yaâ, J. (2020). Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants commonly used in snakebites in North Western Nigeria. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 14(9), 468-474.

Krippendorff K (1989) Content analysis In E. Burnouw, G. Gorbner, W. Schramm, T.L, Worth, & L. Gross (Eds), International encyclopedia of communication (vol. 1, pp 403 New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Ladan, S. I., &Iguda, A. (2019). Analysis of contemporary insecurity in Katsina State, Nigeria. Direct Research Journal of Social Science and Educational Studies, 6(7), 95-102.

Ladan, S., &Mutawalli, B. (2020). Impacts of Banditry on Food Security in Katsina State, Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture and Food Science, 8(12), 439-447.

Matza, D. (2017). Becoming deviant. Routledge.

Mohammed, I. S., Othman, M. F. B., & Osman, N. B. (2019). Uncovering the systematic genocide against the Hausa-Fulani and Muslims groups in Nigeria. Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies, 5(2), 247-262.

Mohammed, A., &Abdullahi, M. (2021). Armed banditry and socio-economic development in Zamfara State: the assessment. EPRA Int J Res Dev, 6(12).

Nadama M.U (2019) Armed banditry Internal Security in Zamfara State: International Journal of science & Engineering Research Volume 10, issue 8, August 2019.

National Population Commission (NPC) (2006) Nigeria National Census: Population Distribution by Sex, State, LGAs and Senatorial District: 2006 Census Priority Tables (Vol. 3). http://www.population.gov.ng/index.php/publication/140-popn-distri-by-sex-state-jgas-and-senatorial-distr-2006.

Obasanmi, J. O., & Anthony, E. (2022). The Effects of Farmer/Herder Conflict on Socioeconomic Development of Nigeria. Saudi J Econ Fin, 6(4), 118-125.

Ogundiya, I.S (2009) The Cycle of legitimacy crisis in Nigeria: A theoretical Exploration. Journal of Social Science, 20(2): 129-142.

Ojo, J. S. (2020). Governing “ungoverned spaces” in the foliage of conspiracy: Toward (re) ordering terrorism, from Boko Haram insurgency, Fulani militancy to banditry in northern Nigeria. African Security, 13(1), 77-110.

Okoli, A. C., & Ugwu, A. C. (2019). Of marauders and brigands: Scoping the threat of rural banditry in Nigeria’s North West. Brazilian Journal of African Studies, 4(8), 201-222.

Okoli, A. C., & Atelhe, G. A. (2014). Nomads against natives: A political ecology of herder/farmer conflicts in Nasarawa state, Nigeria. American International Journal of Contemporary Research, 4(2), 76-88.

Olaniyan, A. (2018). Foliage and violence: Interrogating forests as a security threat in Nigeria. African Security Review, 27(1), 88-107.

Sheehy-Skeffington, J. (2019). Inequality from the bottom up: Toward a threat. In The social psychology of inequality (pp. 213-231). Springer, Cham.

Shehu, A., &Giro, M. U. (2021). Banditry and Healthcare Delivery Among Rural Households in Zamfara State, North Western Nigeria. Journal of Conflict Resolution and Social Issues, 2(1), 113-115.

Silanikove, N., & Koluman, N. (2015). Impact of climate change on the dairy industry in temperate zones: predications on the overall negative impact and on the positive role of dairy goats in adaptation to earth warming. Small Ruminant Research, 123(1), 27-34.

Sule, B., Mikail, I. K., &Yahaya, M. A. (2020). An overview of the genesis, sources, manifestations and impact of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Northern Nigeria. Journal of International Studies, 16, 195-218.

Udoh, E. R., Mboho, K., and Effiong, U. U. (2020). Government and the Management of Security Challenges in Nigeria: A Study of Selected Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District. AKSU Journal of Social and Management Sciences, 3(1), pp: 95-108.

Udosen, N. M., & Uwak, U. (2021). Armed Banditry and Border Monitoring: Challenges for Nigeria’s Security, Peace and Sustainable Develoment. European Journal of Political Science Studies, 5(1).

Umaru, M. E. (2020). Threats of Rural Banditry on Human and Food Security in Niger State, Nigeria Zamfara Journal of Politics and Development, 1(1), 14-14.

Vergani, M., & Collins, S. (2015). Radical criminals in the grey area: A comparative study of Mexican religious drug cartels and Australian outlaw motorcycle gangs. Studies in conflict & terrorism, 38(6), 414-432.

Volkov, V. (2016). Violent entrepreneurs. In Violent Entrepreneurs. Cornell University Press.

Yeh, E. T., Nyima, Y., Hopping, K. A., & Klein, J. A. (2014). Tibetan pastoralists’ vulnerability to climate change: A political ecology analysis of snowstorm coping capacity. Human Ecology, 42(1), 61-74.

Downloads

Published

2026-06-01

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Bello, B. ., Ribah, Y. B. ., & Ifeanyi, O. J. . (2026). BANDITRY AND THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES IN ZAMFARA STATE, NIGERIA. AKSU Annals of Sustainable Development, 4(1), 42-54. https://doi.org/10.60787/aasd.vol4no1.96

Similar Articles

1-10 of 73

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.