The Katsina State governor, Dikko Radda, had announced plans to support local communities to defend themselves against bandits, kidnappers, and other criminals. The governor revealed this initiative during the 2025 Citizens’ Budget Participation Process and the launch of a Community Development Programme in the Katsina zone.
He emphasised that the government will provide necessary support and training to communities willing to take proactive measures against criminal elements, especially in remote areas where security forces face delayed response times.
Katsina State is experiencing worst bandits attacks followed by Zamfara and other states in the North West. All efforts to nip in the bud the lingering activities of these dare-devil bandits, including deployment of troops and recruitment of community protection guards have failed to yield the desired results.
Governor Dikko Radda’s call for community self defence has come at a time when good news emerged that the Maitsigu community in Zamfara State, had removed fears and had bravely confronted attacking bandits leading to the death of 37 of them.
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However, Governor Dikko Radda is not the first proponent canvassing for community self defence, other security experts including retired generals toed the same path. It can be recalled that former Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, when he appeared before the Senate, chided bandits infested communities for being timid and refusing to muster the courage to confront the criminals. He stated that, “These bandits, when they attack communities, cannot fire more than three rounds of ammunition so as to scare, abduct hundreds of victims and disappear.” He said if only the youths of such community could summon courage and confront them, the story would have been different. These bandits can be easily apprehended with relatively ease”.
Added to this voice is TY Danjuma. Amidst surging insecurity in Taraba S I’mtate and the country at large, Major-General T.Y Danjuma (Rtd), once urged Nigerians to arm and defend their communities against marauding bandits and other criminals terrorising their communities.
Though, Nigerian military have objected the employment of self-defence for protection by communities,the success stories of Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Kenya’s Nyumba Kumi initiative in Kenya, South Africa’s Community Policing Forum (CPFs) and Mexico’s Auto Defensas in fighting the menace of insecurity reaffirmed the benefits of adopting self-defence initiative. Besides, self-defence enhances security and provides immediate protection. It allows communities to take ownership of their safety. Community members understand local dynamics and improve intelligence gathering. Other benefits of self-defence in communities bedevilled by the menace of banditry include quick response to threats and reducing response time.
These benefits were further explained by Governor Dikko Radda who expressed or cited difficulties in accessing remote communities under the bandits’ attacks. Moreover, bandits may be discouraged by communities’ resilience.
With benefits that can be derived from the adoption of self-defence by communities ravaged by rapacious bandits, Governor Radda’s option to support communities to defend themselves should be given a trial.
The country is presently under policed due to the shortage of security personnel, balloon population and multiple security challenges. Communities in remote rural areas cannot stand aloof and watch bandits invade their communities, hold them to ransom and wreak havoc before the arrival of security officers. While one cannot rule out some challenges associated with communities self defence such as lack of training and equipment, risk of retaliation and sustainability, these challenges can be addressed through training and capacity building.
The communities that are willing to key into self defence should be given adequate training and expose to different tactics on how to defeat their enemies. They should also receive clear guidelines and protocols on how to successfully operate and above all subjected to regular monitoring and evaluation.
Community self defence initiatives should be seen as an effort to complement security officials not replace them. Communities who will adopt it should work in concert with our conventional security architectures.
While security measures are being rolled out including the proposal for community self defence to address the rampant cases of banditry and other security concern in the country, government at all levels should strive to identify and tackle the underlying causes of insecurity in the country. Our political leaders should address the issue of unemployment, poverty and injustice in the country.
Ibrahim Mustapha wrote from Pambegua, Kaduna State
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