THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OF BANDITRY ON NIGERIA’S ECONOMY

Abstract

This paper examined the socio-economic implications of armed bandits in the North-west and north-central Nigeria. The North-west and north-central have been at the receiving end since Boko Haram reared its ugly head. Now there is the problem of other groups like Fulani herdsmen and now armed bandits and the north is no longer safe. The insurgency is spreading not only in the northwest and north-central but also has spread all over the country.  This Security challenges need to be tackled to create an enabling environment for the socio-economic development of that region as well as the country at large. The armed bandits are generally known as “Kwanta-Kwanta”. The paper highlights that violence is increasing against a backdrop of poor governance and deteriorating socio-economic conditions in northern Nigeria, further exacerbating instability across the region.  For some time now, Nigeria had kept on seeing an enormous misfortune in its financial improvement fuelled by the nonstop resurgence of various types of safety dangers especially outfitted banditry, capturing, uprising, pastoralists/rancher struggle, among others consequently representing a genuine danger to the country's public safety. These acts of banditry result in injury, loss of human lives, loss of property and a sustained fear of victimization among the border communities. The paper looked at the government responses to insecurity and found out that things are not going well in terms of counter-terrorism.