ARMED BANDITRY: A TRIP TO STATE OF NATURE

ARMED BANDITRY: A TRIP TO STATE OF NATURE
                          By:
                 Nurudeen Dauda
                 May 29 , 2020
nurudeendauda24@yahoo.com
nurudeendauda24@gmail.com
nurudeendauda.blogspot.com

The incessant Armed Banditry in the country if not properly checked is a trip back to the State of Nature as profounded by Thomas leviathan Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau. The government must be reminded that its primary responsibility is the protection of lives and property of its citizens.

The truth of the matter is that a lot of people are increasingly loosing "confidence"and or "hope"on the "ability" ,and or "willingness"of the government to protect their lives and property. It is now too dangerous as some people have resorted to self-help or defence. This must be avoided! The government must be alive to its responsibility. 

In my observation, farmers-herders clashes which has not been properly managed led to Armed banditry in the country . One of the major reasons that caused it is the "struggle" for land resources. The farmer needs it for crops cultivation while the herder needs it for posture. From independence to date both human and cattle population have increased , but the size of our "land" has even reduced due to desertification and or climate change.

Other reasons often adduced for the aggravation of the clashes are deliberate destruction of farms by herders, encroachment of cattle routes, abandonment of grazing reserves, Jungle justice against herders , maiming and killings of cattle. In the event of crops destruction by herders, there were allegations of extortion by local judges, village heads, and policemen against herders . That allegedly made herders became very violent against farming communities .

This is not unaware of the allegations of "infiltration"of all"sorts of criminals"to Armed Banditry due to high rate of unemployment, illiteracy, poverty, proliferation of small and light weapons, drug abuse and porous borders.

However, the use of Military "might" is only part of the solution, but certainly not all of it. We must approach the crisis from firstly, the political front. On this front, cattle rearing which is part of agricultural activities must be supported as a business not as an ethnic thing. The right attention must be given to cattle business. There must be genuine effort at its modernization.

Secondly, the legal front, there must be justice in handling famers-herders clashes. We must work hard towards addressing the allegations of corruption among our judges and extortion by the police  against herders . 

Thirdly, the Socio-economic front. The issues of illiteracy, poverty, drug abuse and unemployment have contributed immensely to criminal activities in our society . For us to get it right, the government should and or must pursue deliberate policies towards combating same .

Fourthly, we must properly secure our "forests" which are generally insecured. Our vast unmanned forests in the country serve as hideouts to criminals. Something serious must be done on its. Our porous borders must be properly secured. Let's deploy technology in securing our borders .The NDLEA must be strengthened to do more on the fight against drugs importation which is the energizer to all sorts of crimes.

Fifthly, Small and light weapons are too many in our midst which must be mopped up. We must frustrate its supply to non -state actors . We must properly "kits"our security agencies. Their welfare must be taken very seriously. We must invest more on Intelligence gathering/sharing.It is high time we deploy technology driven approach to security challenges .

Our major fault is that we are into conflict "settlement"as against "resolution. Unless the right things are done, the use of military might will only bring temporary peace. 

May God bless Nigeria!

Popular posts from this blog

ISRAEL V. PALESTINE :THE HYPOCRISY OF TWO STATES SOLUTION

ISRAEL V. PALESTINE :THE HYPOCRISY OF TWO STATES SOLUTION                             By:                 Nurudeen Dauda                October 19, 2023 nurudeendauda24@yahoo.com nurudeendauda24@gmail.com nurudeendauda.blogspot.com "The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict"-Martin Luther King, Jr. Permit me to add my voice on the ongoing massacre of women, children, and armless civilians in Palestine. In my thought, it is not about who triggers the present massacre of the Palestinians , but it is time to talk about the 76 years of massacre of women, children, and the armless civilians of Palestine by the state of Israel which is being watched helplessly by the entire world. Before 1948, the Jews worldwide lived predominantly outside Palestine.They lived predominantly in easter...
Read more

INDEPENDENT CANDIDACY ON THE WAY

INDEPENDENT CANDIDACY ON THE WAY                                By:                          May 19th, 2023 nurudeendauda24@yahoo.com nurudeendauda24@gmail.com nurudeendauda.blogspot.com Barring any last minute changes a "bill" for the recognition of an independent candidacy will be transmitted to Mr president for his "assent". In my thought, if the "bill" is finally "signed" into law it will largely "checkmate" the "excesses" of "governors" and "moneybags" politicians who often denied "credible" candidates "tickets"in order to pave ways for their "anointed" ones no matter their weaknesses. In our modern day politics, we have had enough cases where "credible", "competent", and "popular" candidates loss primary elections due to lack of "money" or "godfather" or state governor's anointment.  In my thought, allowing independent...
Read more

ZAINAB'S ORDEAL: A CASE OF INSTITUTIONAL WEAKNESSES

ZAINAB'S ORDEAL: A CASE OF INSTITUTIONAL WEAKNESSES                         By              Nurudeen Dauda                May 5, 2019 nurudeendauda24@gmail.com nurudeendauda24@yahoo.com nurudeendauda.blogspot.com To begin with, there is now an alleged "drug cartel" in our airports which specialised in planting drugs on unsuspecting airtravellers. Of the six alleged members of the drug cartel arrested in connection with planting of Tramadol in a bag bearing Zainab Habibu Aliyu's name, three were said to be "clearing agents", two were said to be staff of a"security company" and one a staff of an "airline handling company". In my observation, the arrest of Miss Aliyu in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in respect of 2000 packs of "Tramadol" said to be found in a bag bearing her name has nothing , but succeeded in exposing our institutional weaknesses.Heads shoul...
Read more