Ungoverned Borderlands: Banditry and Crisis of Human Security in Nigeria’s North West, 2018-2025
Abstract
Banditry has become a major security issue in Nigeria's North West Border States, especially Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi, given the porous borderlands. This study explores banditry and human security in these states from 2018 to 2025. It is guided by four objectives: to analyze the link between banditry and human security, identify key drivers of banditry, evaluate its impact on human security, and examine the challenges in combating it. Theoretical insights draw on Rational Choice Theory, viewing banditry as a rational response to limited legitimate economic opportunities, with insecurity as a rational reaction to threats of violence. The study used a qualitative approach, relying on secondary data from journals, reports, policy papers, government publications, and credible media. Results show that banditry and human security are closely linked and reinforce each other. Factors fueling banditry include poverty, youth unemployment, environmental damage, governance failure, and porous borders. Banditry threatens personal, economic, food, health, community, and political security through abductions, livelihood destruction, trade disruptions, decreased agriculture, health facility closures, displacement, and weakened institutions. Efforts are hampered by border vulnerabilities, armed groups, a self- sustaining kidnapping economy, governance issues, corruption, overreliance on security measures, financial constraints, and difficulties in protecting civilians and services. The findings suggest a need for a comprehensive human security approach. Recommendations involve combining security measures with poverty alleviation, youth employment efforts, border cooperation, disrupting financing of violence, restoring essential services, boosting food system resilience, and promoting accountable governance.
Keywords
banditryhuman securityinsecurityNorth-West Nigeriaungoverned borderland
References
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