Military operations alone can’t end banditry — Ribadu

A file photo of the Nigerian troops.

The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has said military operations alone cannot end banditry, calling for stronger intelligence-sharing, border security and community participation to tackle insecurity.

Ribadu said banditry had evolved beyond cattle rustling, highway robbery and kidnapping to include territorial control, illegal taxation of rural communities and disruption of economic activities.

He spoke through the Director of Legal Services in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari Mijinyawa, at a brainstorming session on coping with banditry organised by the Sokoto Advancement Forum in collaboration with the Centre for Peace Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, on Saturday.

The NSA said Sokoto’s proximity to Niger Republic and the wider Sahel had given the crisis a cross-border dimension, with armed groups exploiting porous borders and security gaps to sustain their activities.

“Sokoto’s proximity to the Republic of Niger and the wider Sahel adds a significant cross-border dimension to this challenge.

“We must therefore combine intelligence-led operations, effective border management, regional cooperation and sustained action against the supply of illicit weapons and other logistical support,” he said.

Ribadu also called for measures to address the socioeconomic conditions that make young people vulnerable to recruitment by criminal groups, alongside lawful rehabilitation programmes for eligible individuals willing to abandon violence.

“Reintegration must never replace justice or reward violence,” he said.

The NSA outlined five priority areas for improving security in Sokoto: denying armed groups safe havens, strengthening intelligence and early-warning systems, building community trust, protecting agriculture and rural livelihoods, and preventing youth recruitment into criminal networks.

He urged security agencies to improve coordination and information-sharing, adding that communities would be more willing to provide intelligence if they trusted authorities to respond effectively and protect sensitive information.

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Ribadu identified Sabon Birni, Isa, Tangaza and Goronyo as areas where early-warning arrangements should be strengthened to ensure that reports of suspicious movements and emerging threats reached security agencies promptly.

He warned that insecurity was disrupting farming, commerce and children’s education, with consequences for food production and the wider economy.

The NSA said security operations should be assessed not only by arrests, weapons recovered or territory cleared, but also by whether displaced residents could return home and resume their livelihoods.

He said, “We must measure progress by more than arrests, weapons recovered or territory cleared,” he said.

“Success must also mean safer communities, returning families, productive farms, reopened schools, functioning markets and the restoration of public confidence.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the Sokoto Advancement Forum, Prof. Muhammad Ahmad Wali, said security incidents had been recorded in 21 of the state’s 23 local government areas.

Wali added that more than 1,100 people were reportedly kidnapped in Sokoto in the 12 months leading to June 2026, describing the crisis as a threat to residents’ lives, livelihoods and the authority of government.

He called for stronger intelligence gathering, effective border control, swift justice, community involvement and economic opportunities for young people.

The Vice Chairman of the forum, Prof. Riskuwa Arabu Shehu, urged participants to produce measurable recommendations, saying the organisation would compile the outcome of the discussions into a report and communiqué for presentation to government, security agencies and community stakeholders.