Bandits Are Not Terrorists – Gov. Uba Sani

Uba Sani

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has warned opposition politicians against using insecurity as a political weapon.

He recently insisted that Nigeria’s security challenges cannot be solved by “carpet-bombing” bandits out of existence.

Speaking at the public presentation of “Where I Stand,” a book written by the late Sheikh Abubakar Gumi and translated into Arabic by Sheikh Ibrahim Jalingo, Sani said that the politicians who believe only force will end insecurity in Nigeria are toying with the lives of innocent Nigerians.

According to him, deploying weapons will not end banditry in the North because bandits and terrorists are not the same.

He stated that while terrorism is killing for the sake of it, banditry is born out of poverty, youth unemployment, and the absence of economic opportunities in rural areas.

“Some people think you can just deploy weapons and the problem will vanish. Whoever says this is simply playing politics. We must fear God and stop deceiving people because insecurity will not end that way.

Banditry is not ideological like Boko Haram. It is a symptom of poverty, youth unemployment, the absence of schools, hospitals, and economic opportunities in rural areas. These are the real issues we must address to end insecurity,” he said.

Uba Sani further noted that the government’s strategy to fight insecurity must go beyond military firepower, stressing the need to tackle the socio-economic roots of the problem.

He concluded by expressing concern over the dwindling number of security personnel in the country despite Nigeria’s increasing population.

“Insecurity cannot be resolved solely through guns. Our approach must include jobs for our youth, education, and healthcare for rural communities. That is the only way to win lasting peace.

In 1970, after the civil war, Nigeria had about 300,000 soldiers. Today, the number is less than 250,000 while our population has increased by over 100 million. How can anyone say guns alone will solve the problem? It is impossible.

If you travel to Zamfara, Birnin Gwari, or the forests of Katsina, you can go for 50 kilometres without seeing a single policeman, not to mention a soldier. We have vast areas in this country without any security presence at all

In Birnin Gwari, for instance, the Emir himself led the process of restoring peace. We spent six months studying the root causes of insecurity there before taking any action.

People in these rural communities have no schools, no hospitals, no commerce. When young people have no hope, crime becomes the only alternative.

We should not deceive our people by saying President Tinubu or the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, is responsible for their safety. They cannot leave Abuja to come to Birnin Gwari, Giwa, or Dansadau to solve our problems.

We were elected by the people. It is our duty to protect them by every means possible. That is why I chose a non-kinetic approach in Kaduna State—because it is I that God will hold responsible in the hereafter,” he added.