Why Banditry Persists Despite Years of Military Operations in Nigeria

Nigeria has deployed troops, launched special operations and recorded arrests, rescues and destroyed bandit camps. Yet many communities in the North-West and North-Central still face kidnappings, deadly attacks and fear of going to farms. Military action can disrupt armed groups, but it may not end the conditions that allow them to return. Bandits can relocate, regroup and exploit areas where security forces, police, courts and local authorities do not maintain a lasting presence. The problem also extends beyond the gunmen. Kidnap ransoms, cattle rustling, illegal mining, weapons suppliers and informants can sustain criminal networks. Stronger intelligence sharing, financial investigations and prosecution of those behind these networks are as important as battlefield operations. Lasting security requires more than clearing camps. Communities need permanent protection, functioning institutions, safe roads, reopened schools and support for farmers to return to their land. The real test of success is whether attacks and kidnappings fall months after military operations end.

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