State Monopoly of Violence and Banditry in North West Nigeria
Keywords:
Bandit, Monopoly, Nigeria, Security, StateAbstract
The research investigated the relationship between the state's monopoly on violence and banditry in North West Nigeria. It does so in light of the ongoing banditry in the North West and the Nigerian state's apparent inability to protect its citizens and maintain territorial control through the legitimate use of force. The study utilised qualitative secondary data and was anchored in the undergoverned space thesis. The paper posited that the Nigerian government couldn't use its violent tools to maintain its monopoly on organised violence, leaving a governance gap that bandits could exploit. The results showed that banditry has been occurring in the North West since before Nigeria became a country. It is now taking advantage of poorly governed thick forests, social and economic issues, and ongoing conflicts. Bandits possess advanced weapons that they use against the state, which undermines the idea of a state monopoly on violence. These weapons enable them to kidnap people, steal cattle, raid communities, and engage in illegal mining, activities that only the state can do. It also shows that both the bandits and the Nigerian state control local people, as shown by tax payments. The Nigerian government should use the same approach to fighting banditry across the whole North West, and the Nigerian state should also make its presence felt throughout the territory by disbanding and demilitarising non-state actors, among other things.
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