Banditry: When Nigeria Fights Back Against Insecurity
Sele Media Africa www.selemedia.org Reported by David Joshua | Sele Media Africa Reporter September 17, 2025
Nigeria’s struggle with banditry, kidnappings, and violent extremism continues to be one of its gravest security challenges. But recent developments suggest the country is moving from reactive to more proactive strategies, and some hard‑won gains are beginning to show.What the Situation Looks Like- Banditry remains especially severe in the North‑West and North‑Central regions, where armed criminal gangs raid villages, abduct residents for ransom, burn homes, and operate with relative impunity. [1] – In Zamfara State especially, bandit leaders target communities and often demand ransom; in some cases, even after ransom is paid, hostages are harmed or killed. [2] – The insecurity has displaced many, disrupted farming and other livelihood activities, and bred deep anxiety in affected communities. [3]How Nigeria Is Fighting Back 1. Military, Police, and Air Operations – A significant operation in Zamfara’s Bukkuyum area saw Nigerian military ground and air forces kill more than 100 bandits in an early‑morning raid on a forest camp. [4]- Security forces captured or neutralised many high profile bandit or extremist leaders, disrupting their command structures. [5] 2. Coordination & New Security Structures – The Multi‑Agency Anti‑Kidnap Fusion Cell (MAAKFC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) & National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), is pooling intelligence, coordinating missions, and working to track and dismantle kidnap syndicates. [1] – Northern groups have largely supported more robust military deployments in troubled states like Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina and Kebbi. [6] 3. Official Claims of Progress – Nigeria’s Information Minister has stated that the government is “winning the war against terror and banditry,” citing elimination of bandit commanders and increased operational success. [7] – In addition, the government reports rescues of hostages, arrests of suspects, dismantling of illegal refineries (which often fund criminal networks), and voluntary surrenders of some armed criminals. Mixed Views & Challenges Remaining- Despite these successes, critics warn that progress is uneven. For many in the hardest hit communities, the frequency of attacks is still too high, and the cost in lives and livelihoods remains huge. [1]- Also, there are concerns over alleged complicity of politicians in some areas— accusations that some officials provide protection or services to bandit elements. These narratives undermine trust in government responses. [8] – There are also humanitarian concerns: the displaced, orphans, broken farms, interrupted education, and trauma are still very real in many affected zones. Just killing or arresting offenders isn’t enough without addressing root causes like poverty, unemployment, and weak governance. [1] Outlook & What Needs to Be Done- For the current momentum to translate into lasting security, Nigeria needs to sustain pressure: continuous operations, improved intelligence, community cooperation, and oversight to ensure human rights are respected. – Empowering community‑based security actors or “hunters” (where legal) has been proposed, especially in remote areas where government presence is thin. [9] – Political will is essential. Criticism of politicians’ links to banditry shows that unless those structures are cleaned, no amount of military effort will fully succeed. [8] Conclusion:There is reason for cautious optimism: Nigeria is showing signs of fighting back, with measurable wins in operations, new coordination mechanisms, and societal pushback against banditry. But the path ahead is long, and the losses already incurred demand that the fight against insecurity be sustained, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of affected communities.For more on Nigeria’s security challenges and responses, check out “Banditry: When Nigeria Fights Back against Insecurity” by Senator Iroegbu in Vanguard News. [1]Citations:1. Vanguard News: www.vanguardngr.com/2025/09/banditry-when-nigeria-fights-back-against-insecurity/?utm_source=chatgpt.com2.
Vanguard News:www.vanguardngr.com/2025/09/banditry-its-politics-and-practitioners/?utm_source=chatgpt.com3. AP News: apnews.com/article/nigeria-killings-bandits-insecurity-tinubu-13ca838d972feb44e2c2006524a3e259?utm_source=chatgpt.com4. Arab News: www.arabnews.com/node/2611463/world?utm_source=chatgpt.com5.
The Nation Newspaper: thenationonlineng.net/the-triumph-of-military-over-bandit-leaders/?utm_source=chatgpt.com6.
The Guardian Nigeria: guardian.ng/news/nigeria/metro/banditry-northern-groups-back-matawalles-military-deployment-in-sokoto/?utm_source=chatgpt.com7.
The Guardian Nigeria: guardian.ng/news/nigeria-winning-war-against-terror-banditry-minister/?utm_source=chatgpt.com8.
The Guardian Nigeria: guardian.ng/news/nigeria/metro/arewa-youths-call-for-crackdown-on-politicians-linked-to-banditry/?utm_source=chatgpt.com9.
USAfricaLive: usafricaonline.com/2025/04/26/nigeria-banditry-hunters-and-farmers-seek-fg-backing-to-combat-rising-insecurity/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
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