Banditry is a threat
to the peaceful existence of any community. Harbouring or accommodating them
harms the residence of such communities socially and health-wise.
So many negative
impacts on societies are caused by bandits, terrorism and it’s like.
Over the years,
Nigeria has experienced several attacks by bandits especially in the northern
region and some eastern parts of the country and has recorded so many
casualties.
Beyond the loss of
life and properties, the influence of banditry in Nigeria is enormous and
detrimental to the future of not just the affected areas, but the entire
country.
The influence of
banditry and terrorism includes’
- Poverty and economic backwardness: No matter the
natural resources available in a given area, if the area is constantly
faced with bandits attack, poverty and economic backwardness gradually set
in. This happens because the manpower needed to harness these resources
and yield revenue for the community is limited by death and by the fear of
bandits. In most cases, factories and items of economic value are
destroyed during the attacks which leave the community and her residence
in poverty and economic backwardness.
- Poor Education: Bandits attack also affects the
educational system of a community. In states like Borno, Benue and Kaduna
where the insurgency is high, schools are shut down to avoid the risk of
kidnap. This hampers the education of people in the region.
- Sicknesses and other Health related challenges:
Hospital and community health centres will rarely function in regions
invaded by bandits because everyone seeks to protect his life. In most
cases where the health practitioners are ready to risk their lives, they
do not have access to drugs and proper health care materials. This leads
to loss of life and an increased pandemic.
- Lack of food: farmers are forced to go into hiding and
this leads to hunger and the high cost of the available food.
Proffering solution to
the problem of banditry and insurgency in Nigeria, many opinions sampled
includes the following;
- The federal government should investigate and prosecute
every politician funding the activities of bandits in Nigeria. According
to some Nigerians, banditry in some parts of the country is politically
masterminded and if those politicians are arrested and prosecuted,
banditry will die a natural death.
- The Chief of Army Staff must not be a northerner.
Others believe that the chief of Army staff should be from any other part
of the country but, not from the North. It is believed that their
decisions to combat bandits in the country are greatly influenced by their
nativity. Nigerians also believe that a chief of staff who is not a
northerner will face the bandits squarely and wipe them out.
- Redeploy all Army staff to their state; some Nigerians
speaking observed that it is disheartening that Nigeria keeps losing
gallant soldiers to the cold hands of death due to insurgency and banditry
attacks. Based on this, every soldier after recruitment should be deployed
to his state. It is easier for them to understand the language and fight
to secure their community and family than a stranger.
- Stop recuperating repentant bandits into society. Most
bandits pretend to be repentant but only work undercover for their gang to
have major hits in the community and should no more be accepted but,
should be executed.
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