RIBADU: MILITARY OPERATIONS ALONE CANNOT END BANDITRY IN NIGERIA

The National Security Adviser says tackling banditry requires stronger intelligence-sharing, border management, community trust and measures to prevent the recruitment of young people into criminal groups. Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has said military operations alone cannot eliminate banditry, arguing that a broader strategy is needed to address the roots and consequences of insecurity. Ribadu reportedly made the remarks through the Director of Legal Services in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari Mijinyawa, at a security discussion organised in Sokoto by the Sokoto Advancement Forum in collaboration with the Centre for Peace Studies at Usmanu Danfodiyo University. His comments highlight the limitations of relying exclusively on armed operations to resolve a crisis that affects communities, livelihoods and public confidence in government. According to the report, Ribadu said banditry had evolved beyond cattle rustling, highway robbery and kidnapping. He described a situation in which armed groups could also exercise control over territory, impose illegal levies on rural communities and disrupt economic activities. Such activities can make it difficult for farmers to cultivate their land, traders to move goods and families to access education and other services. The security adviser also pointed to the cross-border dimension of the problem, noting that Sokoto’s proximity to Niger Republic and the wider Sahel region creates additional challenges for security agencies. Ribadu identified several priorities for improving the security response. These include denying armed groups safe havens, strengthening intelligence and early-warning systems, building trust between communities and security agencies, protecting agriculture and rural livelihoods, and preventing young people from being recruited into criminal networks. He also called for better coordination among security institutions and stronger action against the supply of illegal weapons and other logistical support used by armed groups. The argument is that security operations must be supported by information, cooperation and efforts to prevent criminal networks from rebuilding their capacity. Residents often possess information about suspicious movements, threats or criminal activity in their areas. However, people may hesitate to share information if they fear retaliation or doubt that authorities will respond effectively. Ribadu reportedly stressed the need to build confidence so communities can provide useful intelligence while feeling that their identities and safety are protected. He also argued that progress should be measured by more than arrests, weapons recovered or territory cleared. A meaningful improvement would include families returning to their homes, farms becoming productive again, schools reopening and local markets operating safely. Security experts and policymakers have increasingly recognised that criminal groups can exploit poverty, limited opportunities and weak public services to recruit or influence vulnerable people. Ribadu reportedly called for measures to address conditions that make young people susceptible to recruitment, alongside lawful rehabilitation programmes for eligible individuals willing to abandon violence. He also stressed that rehabilitation must not replace justice or reward criminal activity. The security situation remains a major concern for residents in affected communities and for the national economy. Banditry can discourage farming, disrupt trade, force families to flee and place additional pressure on public resources. Ribadu’s remarks suggest that a lasting solution will require both effective security operations and sustained efforts to restore public trust and economic activity. The key test will be whether the proposed combination of military action, intelligence, community participation and social intervention can produce safer communities and a durable reduction in violence.