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From Shafa’atu Suleiman, Sokoto
The Sokoto State Government has called for a coordinated regional approach to tackling banditry across the North-West, saying the cross-border nature of the criminal activities makes it impossible for any state to defeat the menace in isolation.
The state’s Special Adviser on Security Matters, Col. Ahmed Usman (retd), made the call while commending the Zamfara State Government for inaugurating its State Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR), Peace and Security Committee.
The 13-member committee was inaugurated on Monday at the Government House, Gusau, by the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Malam Mani Malam Mummuni, on behalf of Governor Dauda Lawal.
Usman described the initiative as a significant step towards addressing the root causes of insecurity and complementing ongoing military operations with structured peacebuilding, rehabilitation and reintegration measures.
He said while kinetic operations remained necessary to confront armed criminal groups, military action alone could not guarantee sustainable peace in the region.
“The fight against banditry cannot be won through military action alone. There must be a coordinated approach that combines effective security operations with peacebuilding, rehabilitation, justice, community engagement and reintegration where appropriate.”
The security adviser said individuals who genuinely surrendered their weapons, renounced violence and demonstrated commitment to peaceful coexistence should be given a structured opportunity to return to lawful and productive lives.
He, however, warned that those who continued to terrorise innocent communities must face the full weight of the law.
Usman welcomed the involvement of federal institutions in the Zamfara initiative, including the National Counter-Terrorism Centre under the Office of the National Security Adviser, Operation SAFE CORRIDOR, the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons and the Federal Ministry of Justice.
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According to him, the participation of the institutions would provide the technical, legal, security and institutional support needed to make the DDR programme credible and effective.
He also commended the international delegation involved in the initiative, led by Ambassador Sérgio Jaramillo, former National Security Adviser to Colombia; General Alberto Mejía (rtd), former Commander of the Colombian Armed Forces; and General Félix Rodney (rtd), former British Defence and National Security Adviser to the Sultan of Oman.
He said their experience in peacebuilding and post-conflict processes could provide useful lessons for the North-West, particularly in developing a DDR framework suited to the region’s security and socio-economic realities.
Usman stressed that any reintegration programme must be community-centred, transparent and subject to rigorous screening to prevent criminal elements from exploiting the process or infiltrating communities and legitimate institutions.
He called for stronger collaboration among North-West states, noting that insecurity does not respect administrative boundaries.
“Banditry is a regional challenge, and therefore our response must also be coordinated at the regional level. What happens in one state can have direct consequences for neighbouring states.”
He urged states in the region to strengthen intelligence sharing, joint operations, border-area surveillance, community engagement and cooperation among security agencies and governments.
He also called for greater support for lawful livelihoods and vulnerable communities to prevent people from being pushed back into cycles of violence.
Usman said Sokoto State would continue to support initiatives aimed at promoting peace, security and stability across the North-West, stressing that the ultimate objective should be the protection of lives and property and the restoration of normal socio-economic activities in affected communities.
