BANDITRY AND CHALLENGES OF FOOD SECURITY IN NIGERIA’S FOURTH REPUBLIC

Abstract

One of the ravaging challenges that have plagued Nigeria particularly in the bid to achieve national productivity and food sufficiency is the spiraling cases of banditry. Banditry which is generally armed violence is principally driven by the criminal intent to steal and plunder. In Nigeria, Banditry takes the form of armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom, cattle rustling and village raids. It is motivated by extremism, poverty and the quest for primitive accumulation of wealth. The victims of banditry are persons and communities in possession of material valuables among others. Since Nigeria’s Fourth Republic in 1999, the country has witnessed an accelerated rate of banditry which has undermine the authority of the Nigerian State. While the challenges of banditry in Nigeria are manifest on different sectors, this paper interrogates its most devastating effect, which is on food security. The paper adopts the Neo-Marxist theory of the state in post-colonial society for the interrogation of the character of the state in Nigeria and the scenario that has led to the escalation of banditry. It adopts a historical research methodology utilizing both primary and secondary sources of data collection. While the primary source of data collection was obtained through interviews from knowledgeable individuals in areas where banditry is on high rise, the secondary sources include among others scholarly publications, national dailies relevant to the topic. The paper finds that many years of the failure of the state is essentially responsible for the increasing number of non-state actors unleashing terror. The paper concludes that foundational causes of banditry be addressed. It also recommends the stimulation of the economy to trigger production, driven by technology and intelligence gathering to address the spiraling challenges of banditry in Nigeria.