Banditry: Dialogue/Confrontation; A Mysterious Journey -By Amir Muhammad Harbo & Muhammad Bello Dabai

While the basic functions of government remain securing the lives and properties of its citizens through the enforcement of an identified body of law, as well as implementing policies that will guarantee its success, providing social services as water, good roads, electricity amongst others rest on her shoulder.

These responsibilities are somewhat becoming nebulous as to whether the Nigerian government is in charge of all, or a very little portion, subject to limitation of numerous expectations on the part of citizens to protection of lives and property only.

To every meaningful citizen, the perpetual peace disturbance by bandits and deadly insurgent groups, as reflected on daily newspaper pages, tv screens and radio signals deserve condemnation, attached with thousands of questions that, until now, remain unanswered.

It is however saddening that the stakeholders, especially in the North, who are expected to work together under a single say, are hitherto, unable to collectively engage themselves to pave ways of suppressing the menace, which claimed thousands of lives, properties worth million and displaced thousands, as others’ whereabout remain unknown.

Notwithstanding, the deadly activities of banditry and kidnapping for ransom has appallingly continues if not increases day by day, while the broadcast and print media in the Southern axis, through their news content and discussion programs, add to it by reflecting the menace in a way largely stereotypical, misleading their audience/readers’ understanding of the actual issues on ground. This, without doubt, on a plain foresight, indicates the possibility of enigmatizing and or inciting a fresh conflict, along with its unique consequential claims as well as special effort-based approach serving as solutional option.

Not only among the stakeholders, fellow innocent citizens are also uncertain, as their perspectives reflect plurality on whether dialogue or physical force should be applied to stop these acts of killings and kidnapping for ransom, with each, giving reference to supportive bunch of words.

On Monday, 22th February, we had a pleasure of participating in a moderated radio discussion program titled ‘MAHANGAR YAN JARIDA’, where the above topic served as the focusing point, with two personalities as guest, all of whom are journalists. Both maintained different position, with vehemental facts they have gathered in the course of professional operation, standing against each other’s point of divergence.

One of the guests maintained that dialogue-based approach is workable unless government should adopt similar method by which Niger-Delta mayhem were successfully pacified under the past administration of late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the former president of Nigeria.

According to him, the current disturbing elements are a product of decades long negligence married by corrupt practices that led to serious systematic injuries on education, health, water, agriculture among other sectors, subject to the physical, mental and psychological disarray, reflected by actions and inactions of those affected.

Those affected constitutes people in the lower-class social category, geographically at the rural areas, beclouded by exigent need for essential heath service attention, good education, pure water, roads and so on.

These needs paved way for politicians to utilize same in setting agenda and building party manifesto, only to struggle for power.
However, the dramatic meander keeps existing for decade, with none of the mentioned challenges solved.

While the other guest in during the live program, had held the view that dialogue with any unscrupulous element should take place, until they are ready to reap what they have sowed, i.e get punished according to their act. In essence, her demonstration provided a contrary view compared to the former.

This point taught my senses in memory of Rwandan Genocide, where a traditionally adopted approach called Gacaca marked the end time long ethnic conflict, where over an estimated 1,000,000 people were killed, tortured and raped. It involves dialogue, negotiation and mediation, attached with extreme punishments as incarceration, and labor forced.

From a neutral view point, the twin suggestion from the above are without doubt workable in the context, only to reach a consensus in the part of stake holders who until now are undecided.

In spite of the recent position maintained by the Nigeria’s Governors Forum that dialogue approach is the key option so far, there has not been any attempt or move by the same to organizing such a dialogue, while Mr. President’s recent assertion reflected a U-Turn, promising not to surrender to any ideologically misguided mob.

The spate in abduction of school children is also of great concern, more especially Jengebe students in Zamfara State, which despite the state governor’s effort to convince other stakeholders accept dialogue with the bandits, such could not reduce, if not stop the mayhem. What many observed and proposed was that the bandits are not promising, hence dialogue should be rejected, drawing conclusion from Jengebe scenario.

However, the recent death of Kagara Emir, as I have made mentioned on my facebook timeline was not a coincidence as it corresponded with Kagara students’ abduction. It reveals the intensity of what and how the devilish act cost the innocent people mentally, psychologically and spiritually, leading to the death of many, large portion’s death cause still unknown.

To cut the above paragraphs short, I consider the following statements relevant:

• That innocent citizens remain the victims of criminal activities carried out by the bandits and kingpin kidnappers: Kankara, Kagara, Jengebe.

• That stakeholders especially in the North are obviously confused as they fail to develop a strategically established long-term solutions to the problem: El Rufa’I rejected Gumi’s call for dialogue, claiming disunity among Northern governors/Ganduje’s reaction.

• That the Southern Media are somewhat adding to the problem instead of working out to it: Stereotyping Fulani as the mother of all evils.

• That the recent appointment of new chiefs of staff has not yet reflected any change, although some are of the view that it is too early to judge: scenarios post-appointment

• That government’s approach, for example, the No Flight Zone adopted in Zamfara, is irrelevant to the issues on the ground

• That dialogue or physical force approach remain practically undecided: NGF’s position, FG’s view, plurality of opinion from the innocent civilians.

Allah is All-Knowing and the Best of Helpers.

Amir Muhammad Harbo and Muhammad Bello Dabai write from Jigawa state.