The primary objective of every government is to ensure the protection of the lives and property of its citizens, as without security, socio-economic activities will be disrupted and poverty rate will continue to rise. Sadly, this is the situation in Nigeria, most especially in the North Western part of the country, where bandits have virtually taken control of many parts of the rural areas of Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara and Niger states.
As a result of the activities of the bandits and the displacement of many rural dwellers, food security of the country is threatened, as a large part of the land cultivated has been abandoned due to the fear of bandits, or the bandits have forbidden people from cultivating the lands or imposed levies before they are allowed to do so. Those who refused to obey the order have paid the supreme price, hence this has led to the spike in the prices of foodstuffs in Nigeria.
While the government provides security personnel to protect communities that are vulnerable to attacks by the bandits, they mostly repel attacks from the bandits, in some instances, the bandits attack in large numbers and easily overwhelm the security operatives stationed in the villages who are hardly reinforced during the attacks.
These attacks are becoming bolder and more brazen. In fact, some of the bandits have social media handles where they post videos. The most unfortunate aspect is that these bandits have camps in the forests and the locations of these camps is not a secret.
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As the bandits continue to grow in strength with their actions causing serious disruptions to the food security of Nigeria, which in turn is one of the reasons why a national protest is being organised, is it not time for the government to take decisive action against the menace of banditry?
I am of the view that a state of emergency should be declared in the frontline states where banditry is deeply rooted. State of emergency is a measure taken by a country when there is an imminent threat to the life of that country, even at the UN level; Article 4 of the ICCPR (which Nigeria is a party to) recognises the need to take this measure during crisis. In Nigeria, the constitution allows for the declaration of a state of emergency where “there is actual breakdown of public order and public safety in the Federation or any part thereof to such extent as to require extraordinary measures to restore peace and security.”
This declaration will enable the government to mobilise the full might of the armed forces and ensure that it rid the frontline states of the menace. Allowing the bandits to continue operating openly from their camps is a clear and present danger on the corporate existence of the country, as they contribute largely to the food shortages being experienced in the country. If the population cannot have access to affordable food, there will surely be a bigger problem for the government. Consequently, the government has no choice, if it wants to stabilize the polity, but to clear the bandits in our forests and allow the people to go back to their homes and cultivate the land peacefully, which will surely bring down the prices of food and ensure food security for the nation.
Aliyu Ibrahim, PhD can be reached via [email protected]
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