ANALYSIS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF BANDITRY IN ZAMFARA STATE

Abstract

Banditry in Zamfara State constitutes a serious threat to socioeconomic activities of Zamfara people. Approximately, there are
over 10,000 bandits operating across different parts of Zamfara
State. These bandits have so far killed over 12,000 people and stole
about 250,000 livestock from 2011 to 2021. About 120 villages were
set ablaze, while over 50,000 were either forced to be internally
displaced or became refugees in the neighbouring countries like
Niger Republic, Chad or Cameroon. Since the outbreak of banditry,
many efforts were put in place by the government and NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) to tackle the situation, but
the effort failed. The paper analysed the socio-economic effects of
banditry in Zamfara. Data were collected from secondary sources.
The paper adopted Social Conflict Theory, and content analysis
was employed as method of data analysis. Findings of the paper
revealed that land disputes, proliferation of Small Arms and Light
Weapons (SALWs), illegal gold mining, illiteracy and poverty
among others are responsible for banditry in Zamfara State. The
paper recommended synergy between government and NonGovernmental Organisations, beefing up security of lives and
property, prioritizing access to quality education and economic
empowerment as ways of eradicating or reducing banditry to the
barest minimum in Zamfara State.