ARMED BANDITRY AND THE ECONOMY AND SOCIETY OF CENTRAL NIGERIA, 2009-2023

Violent conflict has gradually become one of the defining characteristics of the Nigerian nation, particularly in the recent history of central Nigeria. Banditry in particular and other acts of violence has become a recurring decimal in the central region of the country. This development has occupied contemporary debates among scholars, national security officials, public commentators and observers within and outside the country. It has also formed the subject matter and major focus of this paper. The paper’s findings reveal that the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast of Nigeria has had far-reaching demonstration effects and repercussions on other geo-political zones of the country. This has been especially so in the central region of the country as armed banditry, kidnappings, assassinations, and other acts of violence have held sway. The problem of violence in this part of Nigeria has become more worrisome as the national security operatives and chief security officers of the states of the region have uniformly failed to protect and secure the lives and property of families and communities as well as the economy and society. The paper presents the argument that the displacement of population among both the defeated elements of Boko Haram, armed herders, bandits, criminals, armed robbers and free-booters has contributed to this ugly trend of events. Considered through the historical research method, multi-disciplinary approach, and scholarly assumptions of conflict studies and social crisis, the paper also used secondary sources to realise the objectives of its focus.