Banditry: TETFUND Researchers Tasks Tinubu, Govs on rehabilitation and resettlement of victims

…says improved stakeholder collaboration will reduce attacks

To reduce bandit attacks in communities around Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been tasked to charge his service chiefs to deepen the use of non-kinetic more than kinetic approaches.

They also called for increased collaboration among traditional institutions, security agencies and community leaders to nip activities in the bud.

This was part of the research recommendations presented at an online validation workshop from University researchers who investigated Armed Bandits and Banditry in Nigeria: History, Character and Panacea using TETFUND Grant (TETF/ES/DR&D-CE/NRF/2020/HSS/03/VOL.1)

They found that there were reported successes where interagency collaboration was used in the fight against bandits.

Led by their principal Investigator,  Olajide Akanji, professor, the researchers ( Rasidi Okunola, Bentina Mathias,  Bukola Adesina, Nathaniel Danjibo, a doctorate holder Adebimpe Adenugba and Oludayo Tade, all professors), advised governments at the federal and affected states to ensure that adequate support for long term rehabilitation and resettlement of victims of banditry are made.

The researchers who collected data from the Northwest, Northcentral, Southeast and Southwest zones noted that there was the need for regular deployment, monitoring and surveillance of communities prone to bandit attacks adding that data have shown that bandits attack communities very early or late in the night while others attack communities on market days with a view to hijacking food, kidnap and displace communities.

While noting that it was important for the government to prioritise the welfare of security agents who work in bandit-affected communities nationwide, the researchers noted that the government needs to invest in technology such as drones and implementing satellite-enhanced surveillance and monitoring of hard-to-reach locations.

“While banditry has led to displacement, unemployment and poverty in some of the affected communities, the affected people want the government to also adopt non-kinetic alongside with kinetic approach by building community resilience through the provision of communication gadgets to community members to gather intelligence and report incidences.

Participants argued that the absence of such gadgets has hindered evidence gathering, reportage, and investigation of perpetrators in communities. They also wanted the government to empower communities and individuals to be able to defend themselves rather than feel helpless when attacked.

The research participants also called for the creation of community policing to promptly attend to bandit attacks in local communities more effectively. More importantly, communities prone to bandit attacks need regular security awareness and sensitisation training.”

While speaking further, the principal investigator, Akanji stated that participants called for strict penalties such death penalty for bandits and their informants within the community to serve as a deterrent to others.

Apart from this, the study found lapses in government responses to the fight against banditry including “The researchers identified lapses in government responses to bandit attacks in communities to include the practice of releasing and returning arrested bandits back to communities which have undermined trust in the legal and security frameworks, deterring individuals from reporting suspicious activities due to fear of reprisal. Lack of implementation of decisions reached during investigations, leading to a disconnect between government promises and actionable results. Poor/lack of evaluation and adaptation of governments’ responses to evolving banditry threats. Delays in aid delivery to victims. Inadequate support for long-term rehabilitation and resettlement of victims of banditry”.

The validation workshop was attended by the representatives of the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Airforce, Office of the National Security Adviser, UNDP and Amotekun from Oyo and Ekiti states among other stakeholders.