Use Multi-Dimensional Strategy to Combat Banditry in Zamfara, CNG tells FG

A group under the auspices of Coalition of Northern Groups has called on the Federal Government to urgently use a multi-dimensional approach to curb the spate of banditry and other forms of insecurity in Zamfara state,” the statement read.

According to the group, the intricate nature of banditry in the state demands a coordinated response that surpasses traditional military warfare tactics.

In a statement made available to Daily Trust, the Zamfara Coordinator of the group, Hussaini Hassan, noted that the over-reliance on a single security approach could be the cause of banditry’s persistence in the state and other northern states.

He said the group believes there is an urgent need for a multi-dimensional approach to reduce the spate of banditry and other forms of insecurity in the state.

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“CNG in consultation with other stakeholders from diverse sectors is appealing to the state and the federal governments to consider a multi-dimensional approach that promotes community resilience, targets the root causes of banditry and strengthens the capacity of law enforcement agencies especially in troubled areas,” he said.

The Coordinator further added that the use of kinetic approach on the bandits has not yielded positive results hence the need for a multi-dimensional strategy which recognizes the fact that combating banditry in the state requires a combination of both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.

The group further lamented that presently bandits have recently seized parts of some communities of Kaura-Namoda, Zurmi, Birnin Magaji, and Tsafe, among other towns, forcing thousands of families to abandon their source of livelihood and relocate to neighboring safer communities.

He said some major roads and markets across the state remained closed, leading to an exponential increase in poverty among the people, adding that banditry is forcing businesses to close or relocate, leading to an increase in poverty in the affected communities.

He said as of 2023, nearly 80 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Education is suffering greatly, as substantial numbers of schools, particularly in rural communities, were either deserted or turned into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.

The CNG further said the rate of out-of-school children is on the rise in Zamfara due to the activities of armed bandits, which in some areas they take over as camps.