National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has stated that military force by itself is insufficient to defeat banditry, urging improved intelligence sharing, tighter border controls, and greater community involvement to address insecurity.
Ribadu noted that banditry has grown far beyond traditional cattle rustling, highway robberies, and kidnappings.
It now involves groups seizing territory, imposing illegal taxes on rural residents, and disrupting economic life.
He delivered the message through Zakari Mijinyawa, Director of Legal Services in the Office of the National Security Adviser, during a brainstorming session on tackling banditry.
The event was organised by the Sokoto Advancement Forum in partnership with the Centre for Peace Studies at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, on Saturday.
The NSA highlighted Sokoto’s location near Niger Republic and the broader Sahel, which has turned the problem into a cross-border issue. Armed groups take advantage of poorly controlled borders and security gaps to maintain their operations.
“Sokoto’s proximity to the Republic of Niger and the wider Sahel adds a significant cross-border dimension to this challenge,” he said.
“We must therefore combine intelligence-led operations, effective border management, regional cooperation and sustained action against the supply of illicit weapons and other logistical support.”
Ribadu also stressed the need to tackle the socioeconomic factors that leave young people open to recruitment by criminal networks. He supported lawful rehabilitation programmes for those willing to renounce violence, while cautioning that “Reintegration must never replace justice or reward violence.”
He identified five key priorities for enhancing security in Sokoto: denying armed groups safe havens, improving intelligence and early-warning systems, building community trust, safeguarding agriculture and rural livelihoods, and stopping the recruitment of youths into criminal groups.
Security agencies, he said, must strengthen coordination and information sharing. Communities will be more ready to supply intelligence when they trust that authorities will act effectively and keep sensitive details secure.
Ribadu specifically named Sabon Birni, Isa, Tangaza, and Goronyo as locations where early-warning systems need reinforcement so reports of suspicious activity reach security forces quickly.
He warned that insecurity is harming farming, trade, and children’s education, with wider effects on food production and the economy. Progress, he argued, should not be judged solely by arrests, recovered weapons, or cleared territory.
“We must measure progress by more than arrests, weapons recovered or territory cleared,” Ribadu said.
“Success must also mean safer communities, returning families, productive farms, reopened schools, functioning markets and the restoration of public confidence.”Earlier, Sokoto Advancement Forum Chairman Prof. Muhammad Ahmad Wali reported that security incidents had occurred in 21 of the state’s 23 local government areas.
He said more than 1,100 people were reportedly kidnapped in Sokoto in the 12 months up to June 2026, calling the situation a threat to lives, livelihoods, and government authority.
Wali advocated stronger intelligence, better border control, swift justice, community participation, and economic opportunities for young people.
Forum Vice Chairman Prof. Riskuwa Arabu Shehu called on participants to develop practical recommendations.
He said the organisation would compile the discussions into a report and communiqué for submission to government, security agencies, and community stakeholders.