Things Must Be Done Differently: Prof. Usman Yusuf Warns Nigeria Cannot End Banditry Through Militarisation Alone

In this opinion piece, Professor Usman Yusuf argues that Nigeria’s twelve-year war against banditry has failed largely due to an overreliance on militarisation without addressing the deep-rooted social, economic and governance failures that fuel the conflict. He traces banditry to local political irresponsibility, corruption, poverty, youth unemployment, arms proliferation and the breakdown of trust within communities. According to Yusuf, repeated top-down security strategies from Abuja have proven ineffective, leaving the military overstretched, battle-fatigued and increasingly vulnerable to psychological trauma. He insists that there is no purely military solution to banditry and calls for a shift toward inclusive, locally driven approaches involving traditional rulers, clerics, elders and community leaders. Yusuf advocates sincere dialogue, trust rebuilding and social investment as prerequisites for disarmament and lasting peace, urging the President to rethink Nigeria’s security strategy as the conflict enters its thirteenth year.