Without going into the conceptual discourse of the word “banditry”, I state without fear of contradiction that a bandit is a criminal. Frankly, most Nigerians are not in doubt that bandits are criminals. Or, can we say bandits are saints? No! We cannot give a bandit any other name. Currently, bandits, insurgents, kidnappers etc. constitute threats to Nigeria and its 200 million people. We have seen it with the abduction of almost 600 innocent school children in the last 3 months or thereabout as reported by newspapers. But some highly placed individuals in the society by their utterances are justifying crime. They want crime celebrated, while security personnel are blamed and media practitioners are being lampooned for upholding honesty.
There are some insane narratives and “war of words” from some eminent personalities in our society. It is sad to hear expressions like, “Not all bandits are criminals.” Is this conclusion the product of a research effort? Promoters of this sly innuendo believe that some bandits are criminals while others are not. Yet, as the debate goes on, these outlaws abduct school children for ransom, while some government officials are negotiating and romancing terrorists. A pity indeed.
The other senseless narrative that is getting much attention in some quarters is that kidnappers should be granted amnesty. The Zamfara National Assembly (NASS) caucus also want Nigeria to grant amnesty to bandits in the North West. Though I empathize with the people of Zamfara, the plea to grant amnesty to bandits is a clear example of politics in governance. When has amnesty become a price for peace? A prominent Islamic scholar is also of the view that “bandits are militants, they have killed only a few people.” And so, they should be granted amnesty like the Niger Delta militants. But we must not forget that the security of all Nigerians takes precedence over all sentiments on criminality. We recall that some time ago, amnesty was granted by state governors to some bandits in Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara and others. Yet, bandits in these states are still carrying arms and abducting school children.
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The FG has said that bandits, and criminal herdsmen are not Nigerians… One wonders why Nigeria should grant amnesty to citizens of other countries who committed crime in our country?
The FG has said that bandits and criminal herdsmen are not Nigerians. How did foreign criminal elements enter Nigeria and what is the position of the law in this matter? Does one wonder why Nigeria should grant amnesty to citizens of other countries who committed crime in our country? Or, are these criminals Nigerians? Only those in authority can provide correct answers. Perhaps, it is because justice has not been served to bandits, that is why banditry has become lucrative in Nigeria. And because banditry is lucrative in Nigeria, some analysts now refer to bandits as “banditpreneurs.” These analysts claim that banditry thrives in the country as most of the bandits have been alleged to have the right orientation and connection to powerful people in society.
One is tempted to believe what these analysts say because of the cacophony of expressions made by some powerful political office holders in the country. Some of these expressions make public intellectuals to question the sincerity of some of those in position of authority in the country.
We need entrepreneurs in the country, not “banditpreneurs”. We do not need criminals who kidnap people for ransom. But who is funding and arming these bandits? I remember that 3 months ago, members of the House of Reps, urged the FG among other requests to “review policies, protocols and procedures for the purchase of arms, ammunition and related hardware by military and paramilitary agencies in the last 10 years.”
The reason given by the lawmakers is that in more than a decade, a lot of deployment of security personnel in internal security duties have taken place, which often are at variance with their core competence, training and mandate. In addition, some counterinsurgency experts believe that once insurgency goes beyond 24 hours, it is likely that the hands of insiders are in the rebellious acts. So, who are those promoting insurgency in the country?
Some public commentators also say that the ECOWAS Protocol on Movement of Goods and People is responsible for movement of bandits across the country’s border and that of our neighbours. Does the ECOWAS Protocol allow foreigners to come in and go out of member countries with illegal sophisticated weapons? The ECOWAS Protocol did not state that our porous borders should not be secured. So, those security agencies that are to protect our borders are to be asked: Why are foreigners from neighbouring countries in our country with illegal weapons?
Insecurity of many years has deprived Nigeria of development. BusinessDay analysis of data from the 2021 Economic Value of Peace Report by the Institute for Economics and Peace shows that violence has cost Nigeria almost US$ 1.3 trillion (approx. N400 trillion) in 13 years. Violence is expensive. That is why those who have fought wars and understood its mechanism do not pray for war.
If banditry, kidnapping and insurgency continue in Nigeria beyond 2021, it may likely rob the West African sub-region of peace and stability. The level of insecurity in Nigeria demands bringing to bear all elements of national power – diplomacy, information/intelligence, military, economy and population. Our population of 200 million people is the centre of gravity of the country. We must not lose the hearts and minds of our citizens to bandits. Therefore, those in authority should ensure that our citizens do not lose confidence in the capability of governments at state and federal levels to protect their welfare and wellbeing. Thank you.
