THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BANDITRY AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN NIGER STATE

This study investigated the perceived causes of banditry and its impact on the availability and utilization of agricultural resources in Niger State. The study adopted a descriptive survey design using a well-structured questionnaire to collect data from a sample size of 300. The results revealed that limited educational opportunities (M = 3.17), unemployment and poverty (M = 3.04), corruption (M = 3.00), drug abuse and alcohol (M = 3.09), farmers/herders clashes (M = 3.09), and bad governance (M = 3.06) are the major drivers of banditry. The majority of respondents strongly agreed with these factors, indicating a general consensus on their contribution to rising insecurity. The findings showed that banditry significantly disrupts agricultural activities by reducing farmers' access to farmlands (M = 3.08), increasing the cost of agricultural inputs (M = 2.95), causing the abandonment of farmlands (M = 2.99), and discouraging active farming due to fear of attacks (M = 3.01). Banditry also leads to the destruction of agricultural facilities (M = 3.02) and disrupts the marketing and sale of farm produce (M = 3.02). Farmers have adopted various coping strategies, including reducing farming activities (M = 3.01), paying protection fees (M = 3.09), forming community security groups (M = 3.43), increasing vigilance (M = 3.47), relocating families (M = 3.42), and abandoning farming for alternative livelihoods (M = 3.53). Government interventions such as increased military presence (M = 3.59), the use of vigilante groups (M = 3.47), training programs (M = 3.18), low-interest loans (M = 3.13), cooperative empowerment (M = 3.25), and the rebuilding of agricultural facilities (M = 3.19) were also acknowledged. The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive security measures and targeted agricultural support to mitigate the effects of banditry and restore agricultural productivity and end attacks by armed groups targeting agricultural resources in the region.