ABSTRACT
The villainous activities of rural bandits in the north-western part of Nigeria have forced millions of people into untold hardships such as loss of lives and property, internal displacement, food insecurity, sexual abuse, and loss of the means of livelihood. This is as a result of climate change, population explosion, and the abysmal failure of the state to address challenges of arms proliferation, corruption within and outside the security agencies, poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy, which have ultimately resulted in armed banditry and other security challenges in the country. Against this backdrop, this chapter sought to answer the following questions: what are the causes of rural banditry and cattle rustling in the north-western part of Nigeria? What are the impacts of rural banditry and cattle rustling in the north-western parts of Nigeria? What is the panacea to rural banditry and cattle rustling in the region? Data in this chapter was collected through key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). Journal articles, book chapters, internet materials, and interviews were also used as source data. The chapter concludes that internal measures, such as good governance, are the ultimate solution to the security challenges in the region.
