fbpx
Connect with us

News

CITAD Teams Up with ROSA Luxemburg Foundation to Address Armed Banditry in Northern Nigeria

Published

on

 

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), in collaboration with the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, hosted a Knowledge Production Dialogue on Thursday at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

The dialogue aimed to shed light on the pressing issues of youth involvement in armed banditry in the region.

Aminu Yunusa, from the Sociology Department of the institution, presented a paper titled “An Appraisal of the Causes and Consequences of Youth Involvement in Armed Banditry in Kaduna State, Northwestern Nigeria (2012-2022).”

The University Don stated that banditry is a serious crime that poses a security challenge to democratic governance and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.

“Bandits often terrorize communities in the North West region. Their activities include kidnapping, arson, shooting, rape, cattle rustling, killing, and looting.”

Yunusa emphasized the harmful impact of continuous youth engagement in armed banditry on the residents of Kaduna state. He attributed this involvement to factors such as youth unemployment, greed, poverty, substance abuse, peer influence, and the existence of ungoverned spaces.

He said, “The highest portion of every conflict or violence that took place in Northwest Nigeria is perpetrated by the youth. All the conflicts, including banditry and kidnapping, are carried out mostly by youth between 16 and 30 years old. Quite often, poverty and inequality, lack of education, unemployment, and lack of economic opportunities, among other issues, have been identified as the main factors leading vulnerable youth into joining violent extremist groups in their communities.”

His recommendations included the establishment of community policing structures, collaboration between media, community leaders, and the government to educate the youth about the dangers of banditry, and fostering law-abiding behavior.

Also in her presentation titled “Youth and Banditry in the Northwest Region: An Insight into the Learning Process,” Dr. Halima Sa’adiya Adamu from the Department of Political Science and International Relations highlighted the widespread impact of banditry on economic and human development in the northwest region.

Dr. Halima also said the effect of banditry is extensive. In addition to complicating the security crisis in the country, it has also increased the incidence of forced migration, food insecurity, cattle rustling, destruction of property, health challenges, displacement, humanitarian crises, and death.

She said the growth rate of these crimes can be attributed to unemployment, poverty, and poor education, stressing that deliberate efforts must be put in place to transform the politics and government systems to be more responsive to the needs of their people.

She noted that parents and the government play pivotal roles in the involvement of young individuals in this menace.

Her recommendations included fostering better communication between parents and children, community-driven initiatives, youth participation in decision-making processes, improving educational quality, creating conducive entrepreneurial environments, and organizing capacity-building seminars.

Some research by international organizations, such as the recent one conducted by Action Aid Nigeria, shows that Nigeria has witnessed about 95 percent of conflicts, including thuggery, banditry, kidnapping, killings, cattle rustling, and thuggery, mainly carried out by youth.

The incidence of banditry in Nigeria is a growing phenomenon that gravely threatens human security. It is prevalent in the North West geopolitical region of the country but has the potential to expand into transnational crime.

News

Nigeria Tracker Congratulates Sarkin Bai Mansur Mukhtar On Wedding of His Daughter Amina

Published

on

The wedding ceremony

 

The management of Nigeria Tracker Communications, publishers of Nigerian Tracker online newspaper, has extended its congratulatory message to the family of Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance and Vice President of the Islamic Development Bank ,Dr Mansur Mukhtar on the wedding of his daughter, Amina Mansur Mukhtar.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Editor-in-Chief and CEO of the leading online newspaper, Abbas Yushau Yusuf.

The wedding fatiha and solemnization which took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, had in attendance family, friends, and well-wishers, with a dowry of $1000.

On behalf of the board of directors of Nigeria Tracker Communications, we wish the couple a happy married life and Allah’s blessings, and success to the entire Sarkin Bai of Kano’s family, Dr. Mansur Mukhtar.

Continue Reading

News

My Successors Have Jettisoned My Progressive Ideas-Says Jonathan

Published

on

Former President Goodluck Jonathan

 

Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, on Friday, said some of the progressive ideas he instituted during his tenure were jettisoned after his exit from office.

Jonathan who was the President from 2010 to 2015, stated this while speaking as Chairman on the occasion of the 25th anniversary celebration of Igbinedion University, Okada in Edo State.

The former president who said he ensured that women were admitted into the Nigeria Defence Academy, recalled that he faced serious challenges but had his way as the president of the country.

He said it is worth noting that women have become an integral part of the military set with some of them going ahead to become some of the best jet fighters.

He said, “I recall the challenges faced by women in the military. But as President, I directed that the Nigeria Defence Academy commence admission of women into the institution.

“However some of the ideas, which could have helped in the technological development of the country were jettisoned. “

The former President who noted challenges faced by women in various career fields, advocated that limitations against women’s progression in their chosen fields of endeavour should be eliminated.

He also called for the recalibration of the nation’s school curriculum to prioritize skills acquisition, and technology and de-emphasise certificates.

The ex-president explained that emphasis on skills acquisition and technology in all fields of the country’s educational system was the way to go to hasten the development of the country.

Punch

Continue Reading

News

Rivers Crisis:Former Senate President Urges Tinubu To Call Wike To Order

Published

on

Senator Adolpos Wabara ,Former Senate President

Former Senate President and Chairman Board of Trustees, BOT, of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Adolphus Wabara, has told President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to caution his appointee and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike to avoid plunging Rivers State into a “needless political crisis”.

This is coming on the heels of the move by pro- Wike lawmakers, to impeach Gov. Siminalayi Fubara.

This is coming on the heels of the move by pro- Wike lawmakers, to impeach Gov. Siminalayi Fubara.

Wabara also condemned the call by APC Chairman in Rivers, Tony Okocha, for the House of Assembly to immediately commence impeachment proceedings against the Fubara.

The former Senate President who accused Wike of stoking the face-off between Gov. Fubara and the lawmakers, warned that Nigeria might not survive any instability in Rivers State considering the state’s economic importance to the country

Senator Wabara appealed to President Tinubu to prevail on Wike to give peace a chance and allow his successor to discharge his constitutional roles without undue influence.

“I want to appeal to Mr President to call his appointee, Nyesom Wike to order so that his actions in Rivers do not confirm the suspicion that APC has an agenda to turn Nigeria into one party state. Wike should allow peace to reign in Rivers State.

” Mr President should appreciate the importance of Rivers as a major revenue base of the country, and should the trouble they are stoking erupt, Nigeria will definitely not escape the aftermath.”

The PDP BoT Chairman, further advised members of the Rivers House of Assembly not to yield themselves as agents of distabilization of the state “because history will not be kind to them.”

He reminded the gladiators to carefully weigh the grave implications of any attempt to forcefully remove a democratically-elected Governor or President from office.

The former Senate President who warned that the PDP would not tolerate any further intimidation or persecution of the Governor, urged “all those involved in the political brouhaha in Rivers to give peace a chance”.

On the mass exodus of PDP members in Abia State, Senator Wabara who said such scenario was not unexpected, however, urged the party faithful not to panic.

He said that the elders of the party had initiated moves to half further exit of members, describing the development as the after effect of the impunity of the last PDP-led administration in the state, and its utter disregard to internal democracy and party supremacy.

Wabara further noted that some chieftains who are leaving the party are doing so for self protection while some join the bandwagon without any deep thought of their action.

He urged PDP members in the state to remain resolute and support the on-going efforts to rebuild and reposition the party for a winning spree in 2027.

Continue Reading

Trending