By Marcus Ikechukwu
Experts assessing the spate of insecurity in the north, including controversies trailing arms-bearing for self-defence as mandated by the Zamfara state government have submitted that community policing still held the key to wriggling out of the wave of violence that has greeted the region for over a decade.
They noted that for a state like Zamfara and Kaduna which have become hotbeds for banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria, economic and climatic conditions were at the core of factors fueling the crisis.
To give additional credence to its findings, a research report gleaned from Nextier Violent Conflict Database showed that between January 2021 and June 2022, there were 521 violent incidents and 3,009 violent deaths in Northwest Nigeria.
A further breakdown indicated that Zamfara state recorded 108 violent incidents and 1,156 deaths while Kaduna state recorded 244 incidents and 986 deaths. Insights from the Database revealed that while Zamfara recorded the most violent deaths, Kaduna recorded the most violent incidents.
It also stated that during the period under review, over 911 persons, including women, and school children, were abducted by the bandits, while on February 26, 2021, 317 female students were kidnapped from Girls Secondary School Jangebe, Zamfara State, in an early morning raid by bandits.
“While one of the students died, the rest were later released after negotiations. Efforts by the federal and state governments to secure lives and properties in Zamfara state have not been successful,” the report added.
Stating an opinion on the gun policy, Nextier said the policy proposal for Zamfara state residents to bear firearms for self-defence did not come out of the blue, stressing that in the last couple of years, residents in Zamfara rural communities have suffered incessant bandits’ violent attacks. Killings, kidnappings, and cattle rustling have become the rule rather than the exception.
It noted that the unrelenting violent attacks by bandits have forced thousands of residents to flee their homes, abandoning schools, farms and other sources of livelihood.
It added that in the past, the state government had suspended telecommunications services and shut petrol stations and markets in response to banditry. The state government even went to the extent of entering a peace deal with the bandits, all to no avail.
The report, therefore, submitted that “The conflict situation in Zamfara state is fuelled more by economic issues which are aided by climatic change and pressure on land as the main factor of production. As the Hausas who are mainly sedentary farmers compete with Fulani herders over arable land, conflicts emerge polarising former peaceful neighbours, resulting in violence and other forms of criminality.
“A programme targeting community peacebuilding, reconciliation and stabilization approach, that will involve the rebuilding of livelihoods, rebuilding of neighbourliness, the establishment of common community security agenda and provision, will help in sorting out grievance from greed and criminality and solving the situation from its root causes.”
“Moreover, policing powers, authorities, and the issuance of firearms licenses need to be devolved to sub-national units. The federal and state governments should stop engaging in unnecessary conflicts over which level of government has power over what security matter. There is a need for more proactive engagement rather than reactive force.”
“Beyond these, the face-off between the federal and Zamfara State governments over who has the constitutional power to address escalated banditry in the sprawling communities in the state has again brought to the fore the need to decentralise Nigeria’s policing architecture.
” In addition, both levels of government should collaborate more in addressing the security needs of Nigerians rather than engaging in undue conflicts over security rights. Besides, there is a need for more proactive engagement in the formative stage of conflict rather than resorting to reactive force after the outbreak of armed violence.”