Banditry: Between dialogue and confrontation

To every meaningful citizen, the perpetual disturbance by bandits and deadly insurgent groups, as reflected daily on newspaper pages, TV screens and radio signals deserve condemnation.

The basic functions of government remain securing the lives and properties of its citizens through the enforcement of identified body of law, as well as implementing policies that will guarantee its success; providing social services such as water, good roads, electricity amongst others.

These responsibilities are somewhat becoming nebulous as to whether the Nigerian government is in charge of all, or a very little portion, subject to limitation of numerous expectations on the part of citizens to protection of lives and property only.

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To every meaningful citizen, the perpetual disturbance by bandits and deadly insurgent groups, as reflected daily on newspaper pages, TV screens and radio signals deserve condemnation.

It is however saddening that the stakeholders, especially in the North, who are expected to work together are hitherto, unable to collectively engage themselves to pave ways of suppressing the menace, has which claimed thousands of lives, properties worth million and displaced thousands, as others’ whereabouts remain unknown.

In spite of the recent position maintained by the Nigeria’s Governors Forum that dialogue approach is the key option so far, there has not been any attempt or move by the same to organise such a dialogue, while Mr. President’s recent assertion reflected a U-Turn, promising not to surrender to any ideologically misguided mob.

The spate of abductions of school children is also of great concern, more especially Jengebe students in Zamfara State, which despite the state governor’s effort to convince other stakeholders to accept dialogue with the bandits; such could not reduce, if not stop the mayhem.

What many observed and proposed remain that there should be no dialogue with bandits, drawing conclusion from Jengebe scenario.

However, the recent death of Kagara Emir, as I have made mentioned on my Facebook timeline was not a coincidence as it corresponded with Kagara students’ abduction.

It reveals the intensity of what and how the devilish act cost the innocent people mentally, psychologically and spiritually, leading to the death of many.

To summarise the key issues, the following points are relevant:

That innocent citizens remain the victims of criminal activities carried out by the bandits and kingpin kidnappers at Kankara, Kagara and Jengebe.

That stakeholders especially in the North are obviously confused as they fail to develop a strategically established long-term solutions to the problem. Governor Nasir El Rufa’I rejected Gumi’s call for dialogue, claiming disunity among Northern governors/Ganduje’s reaction.

That the Southern media are somewhat adding to the problem instead of addressing by stereotyping Fulani as the mother of all evils.

That the recent appointments of new service chiefs have not yet reflected any change, although, some are of the view that it is too early to judge.

That government’s approach, for example, the ‘No-fly-zone adopted in Zamfara, is irrelevant to the issues on the ground

That dialogue or physical force approach remains practically undecided given the NGF’s position, FG’s view and plurality of opinions from civilians.

Amir Muhammad Harbo and Muhammad Bello Dabai sent this from Jigawa State.