Column No.6: ‘Banditry’ is back

It was pretty much déjà vu when the news broke, of the attack by ‘bandits’ on students of the Federal University of Gusau, in Zamfara State yesterday, Friday morning, abducting an estimated twenty-five students from the educational institution. ‘Zamfara again!’ you must have thought when you first came across the news, as I certainly did. It was even more frightening when I read that the bandits attacked in a large number, also invading a nearby community. At the university, three hostels were attacked, and all occupants taken away at gunpoint. The proverbial icing on the cake is that the criminals were brazen enough to have fought back when engaged by troops of the Nigerian Army. My first question – which I have asked before – are we still calling them bandits?

Zamfara, one of the states with the high level of insecurity in the North-West, has been troubled by this problem for some years now. The attack on the university hostels came some days after Hamisu Danjibga, a journalist, was kidnapped in Gusau, and later found dead. This was after placing a call and making a demand for ransom, with a one million naira ‘part payment’ before making the full one known. This group has raped, maimed, and killed people before, and they have destroyed entire communities and even government property. This is far more than enough to call them what they are: terrorists.

Now, the typical Nigerian contrarian would object, and ask unsophisticated questions like ‘What use is getting their correct name? Will that solve the problem?’, and I understand why. I will point out the maxim that knowing a problem exists is one thing, and knowing what it is, is another altogether. Let’s go to medicine, for instance. If a patient has cancer, but the medical staff and his family keep calling it a migraine, would that help in solving the problem?

Back to Zamfara, we need no recap: that state has been in the tight grip of terrorists for a while now. I cannot forget the imposition by ‘bandits’ of a ‘levy’ on innocent, law-abiding citizens in Jibia – and indeed some other parts of northern Nigeria almost two years ago. That kind of thing, like I said then, should be viewed as full-blown insurgency. This is because they are not only occupying areas, but they are also charging taxes, both things which only the Federal Republic of Nigeria has the legal right to do.

Gossip columns never inspire my films – Kenneth Gyang

Army busts illegal gun factory, recovers weapons

The fact that they go about killing whoever does not toe their nefarious lines is enough cause for a heavy-handed response from the government. I also recall the laughable ‘amnesty’ the enjoyed for bit in the past, and time and time again they pick up their arms and return to the forests, back to their evil ways.

The scariest part of all this is that the so-called bandit problem is not Zamafara State’s problem alone. The criminals continue to ply their murderous trade in many states across Nigeria, with a modus operandi stunningly resembling that of Boko Haram. Do not get me wrong: There are other armed groups carrying out atrocities around Nigeria, without links to Boko Haram or ‘bandits’.

Today, I have chosen to focus on the ones who invade schools, kidnap for ransom, or rustle cattle and enslave girls and young women from victim communities. Yes, our security personnel have largely succeeded in eroding a good chunk of them, but it appears a comeback is in the works. How else would you describe the recent explosion (pun unintended) in their activities?

Three days ago, it was reported that about a thousand hunters were mobilized to dislodge ‘bandits’ in Bauchi communities. The moral of the story? Everyone has a limit to the rubbish they can take. Still, three days ago, it was also reported that there is ‘confusion over an alleged truce meeting between Katsina bandits and the FG.’ The moral of that story is that one should communicate what needs to be communicated properly, and guard whatever info need guarding. Then there are the reports of five ‘bandits’ arrested in Benue State, or that of ‘many’ farmers killed five days ago at the Kebbi/Sokoto border. Are you tired of the figures, and of the frequency of these things? I know I am. Now, imagine living in communities which face these criminals on a daily basis.

‘Bandits’ have been reported to have carried out daring kidnaps even on the fringes of Abuja, like Kuje, Gwagwalada, Bwari, and even as close to the city centre as Kubwa and Gwarinpa are. Would it be too far-fetched to link them to the deadly spike in ‘one-chance’ attacks on unsuspecting passengers by criminals masquerading as taxi drivers? I thought of illustrating all this with some specific incidents (my own experiences included) but there would simply not be sufficient space. That’s how bad it is. I strongly believe that it is time all our past gains over the criminals are faced again, with a view to totally crushing them, in such a way that they will not return in whatever from, ever again. With the right level of zeal and will, I have zero doubts that this can be achieved.